Provi's Plane Change - Calling all the Children

Of course, it was only a matter of time before you knew I would be talking about our various fundraising efforts here on the Britton adoption blog. You just didn't know it would be post #2 of the new adoption blog, did you?

Well, I just couldn't help myself. We have several things going on right now trying to raise funds, but today's events are just flat out blog worthy.

Our oldest child, Providence, is really wanting to go to Ethiopia with us when we go to bring home her new sister. Ethiopia is requiring 2 trips right now, so if we were going to say no, we were going to have to say no twice. So sad. No. Really. We would LOVE for Provi to be able to experience such a trip. We can only imagine how life changing a trip to Ethiopia, visiting Orphans, seeing the final phase of an adoption first hand, eating strange foods, eating less food, and just plain experiencing a far different culture could be on a 10 (or 11) year old child. Why would we say no? Well, money of course. We will have about 2 weeks notice before leaving for Ethiopia .... two times. That's an expensive ticket(s). But in the grand scheme of how much this adoption costs, do we believe God could provide the funds needed for Providence to come along? Absolutely!

So we've been talking about fundraising ideas for her specifically. She really wants to be a part of this. As you know, at Christmas time, you can't escape a grocery store or Walmart without seeing a little red bucket with a bell ringer standing to the side. Yup. Salvation Army. I passed out some coinage to the kids just before Christmas for them to plop in the shiny red bucket. As we left the store, they couldn't stop asking about what it was for, who it would help, etc. I began to explain to them that The Salvation Army had collected around 3 million dollars this Christmas alone from peoples spare change. I was trying to teach the kids a lesson on how even their nickels and dimes can add up to something worth while.

Then it dawned on me - what if Provi started her own bucket fund? So I told her she should speak up to her friends about what she's raising money for, and ask for their spare change. Not only would this help her educate her friends about kids around the world who don't have all that they do, but it could really start to add up. She loved the idea.

So you heard it here first. If you have children in your home, would you consider placing a jar in your home for their spare change to fall into? Would you take this opportunity to teach your kids about all they have, and how a couple extra quarters here and there will leave them with nothing the less - but will instead help change the life of one pretty cool 10 year old, and her soon to be sister? Would you ask them to be part this WITH Providence?

Just so you know, we talk a lot around here about sacrifice as well. When we are adopting a child - a lot falls to the back burner. We eat out less, we buy less clothes, we eat the icky leftovers .... we do a lot different to plop some coins into our personal buckets in order to bring home our next girl. Here's where I get to what happened today.

All the kids received $20 for Christmas from a family member. Of course, the day after Christmas, they woke up begging to go to Target to spend their money that just wouldn't stop burning a whole in their pockets. Provi announced that she was going to spend half of her money, and save the other half for her plane ticket. However, when she saw the shiny new lego set that cost MORE than her $20, desire took over. She stuck the toy in the cart, and even googly eyed Grandma and Grandpa into kicking in the extra $6 needed to complete the transaction. However, as we were walking toward the check out, she turned to me and told me that she had changed her mind. She said she would rather just get a thing of tic-tacs, and save the rest of her money for her trip to Ethiopia, because she really wants to go.

Clean up in isle 12 ... some mom's heart just melted.

So she left the store content, with a bottle of tic tac's and $20 still in her pocket. (I couldn't let her spend $1.02 on tic tacs after such an expression of 10 year old sacrifice, so I bought them for her.)

Oh how I love that girl. And I do hope we can raise enough money for her to have the life-changing experience that Africa is. So.....will you enlist your kids?

Will you set a jar out for "Provi's Plane Change"?

Drum Roll Please

Malachi has an announcement to make:

It's true. Just over a year from when we ended this blog, we're officially re-opening it.

We are adopting again!

To answer your questions:
1) Yes we are crazy.
2) We are going back to Ethiopia. Why? So Malachi has a sibling from his country. Also because we saw what we saw, and we can't forget it. (In the words of Sarah Groves.)
3) We are planning to adopt a girl, between 3 & 6. (Years old silly! Not 3-6 girls. We're not that crazy.)
4) We are using a different adoption agency this time (WACAP), same homestudy agency. (Colorado Adoption Center)
5) We are anticipating things moving along a bit faster this time (for instance - we officially started this process a month and a half ago. We're almost done with our homestudy).
6) We are hoping to have the next Britton home by Christmas of 2011. (However, Aaron cautions me against such hopes. For those of you who followed our last adoption journey, you probably can understand why. I'm not super great at waiting longer than anticipated. Or waiting at all for that matter.)
7) Yes, we are crazy....and we wouldn't have it any other way!

Hopefully that answered most of your questions. If not, follow along. Buckle up!

Please keep your arms and legs inside at all times. This ride is known for making sudden stops, and sharp turns.

One Year Ago Today ( A letter to my son)

One year ago today, we had the honor of taking you away from a life lived in an orphanage, to a life lived in a family ... our family. One year ago today, I rocked you to sleep for the first time. One year ago today, I placed you in a bed right next to me. One year ago today, I woke up through the night to check on you and make sure you were okay. One year ago today, you officially became ours.

One year ago, you were drinking formula from a bottle and eating just bread and spaghetti. Today you drink from sippy cups filled with milk, juice and water and feast on pizza and M&M's. One year ago today, you only knew children who, just like you, were left alone. Today you know the love of two sisters and one brother. One year ago today, your needs had only been met by people getting paid to respond to them (and a blessed few who I believe truly loved you). Today you get your deepest needs met by parents who love, cherish and adore you. One year ago today you were quiet, lethargic, and sad. Today you love to talk and laugh (and make others laugh) and sing and dance and be the center of attention.

We've had quite the year ! You've grown so much. You've changed so much. You've learned more than I have in the last 10 years combined, I'm sure. We've learned so much about each other. We've learned how to comfort you. You've learned how to let us love you. We've had sleepless nights, and tear-filled days. You've learned to talk, and I'm learning to listen. You've learned to walk, and I'm learning to keep up. You learned to sleep securely all the night through ...huge ! You've come to realize that when I leave, I WILL BE BACK. You've come to realize that babysitters and Sunday School are fun, and that I WILL BE BACK.

Not a day goes by that I don't think of the life you had. Not a day goes by that I don't think of your birth Mom and what she sacrificed for you. Not a day goes by that I am in awe of you and the difference you have made in our life. Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for his work in your life - for His trusting us with your life.

I pray you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Heavenly Father. I pray you grow to know the fullness of your adoption not in us as sinful broken parents ... but in the One who created you, who knit you together in your mother's womb, who hems you in, who graciously and sovereignly placed you in our family.

Ephesians 1:3-8

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace ⁸that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.



One year ago today, you changed our lives ... you changed my life. I will never be the same. Some may say that you are lucky or blessed to have been brought into a family. Maybe. I know for sure though, that I am blessed that you are in our family. You are a part of me. I loved you before I met you. My life is better because you are in it. My heart is fuller because it loves you. To say that I'm glad we "gotcha" wouldn't even describe it. I'm so excited to see what year two, three, four, etc.... will bring ! I love you, my son.



One year ago today ....



TODAY !!!
One year ago today....


TODAY !!!!

One year ago today ....TODAY !!!!


TODAY !!!!
TODAY !!!

Malachi is ...... TWO !!!

Provi, Eden & Sam in unison - "Malachi is ?!?!?!?!?!?"
Malachi - "TWO !!!!"
So cute !

September 1st Malachi turned 2 ! Or somewhere around there actually ... Sept. 1st is the day they picked in Ethiopia. It makes me sad still that his actual birthday is unknown to everyone who loves him ... everyone but his birth mother I'm sure - wherever she is. On this special day of his, I couldn't help but imagine her sadness, and at the same time thank God for our joy and for the strength his family in Ethiopia possessed to give him over to a better life. Last year Malachi was still in Ethiopia waiting for us to get him. We celebrated his first birthday apart from him. His second birthday was extra special because of it! His first (second) birthday as part of a family .... our family!

Enough of the sappy sad stuff.....
Believe it or not, Malachi had not ever had cake. I was determined to have him wait like every other child until his first (second) birthday. One of his favorite things is BALLS !!! So, here was the cake :
He wasn't all that interested actually. He took 2 little bites, and decided he wanted to play ball instead of eat cake.



We have a group of friends who come to our home weekly, and were with us through our adoption journey, as well as Malachi's first 10 months home. These were the ones we thought he'd want to spend his birthday with. So we had a low key celebration. (Low key, because another bash is around the corner as we celebrate the day he came into our family! PARTAAAYYY!!!!)



It was a great day as we celebrated his life. We look forward to many more years to come ! So, watch out world - Baby Man is 2 !!!!

Orphan

I know I've posted already about signing a petition AGAINST the movie being put out by Warner Bros called ORPHAN. There is now a website attached to this movement that I'm urging you to check out. Sign the petition. And if you have an adopted child, or have been involved in the lives of anyone who has - you can even submit your rendition of how wonderful and powerful adoption is. This petition has taken it beyond the first one that just went to show how many people were against it, and is now asking Warner Bros to use a portion of the proceeds to benefit orphan care.

Won't you join me? Orphans Deserve Better. (orphansdeservebetter.org)

Update

No, this is not an update on Malachi.

It has come to my attention that some have missed the fact that I have a different blog. A different blog that gets updated often. It struck me as odd when I was asked why I didn't blog much anymore.

So, for those who don't know - go HERE. It's where I live most of the time.

On his way ....

to poppin' and a-lockin'! :)

(Sorry the quality isn't great)

Malachi had Sam's birthday card, which plays the song - Funky Town. He's been grovin' everyday to the beats. Yo. ;)