Brush to Berries from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

"Simply giving this person money is treating the symptoms rather than the underlying disease and will enable him to continue with his lack of self-discipline... a better solution would be to develop a relationship that says, we are here to walk with you and to help you use your gifts and abilities to avoid being in this situation in the future'" (An excerpt from the book, When Helping Hurts)

Lifesong is serving the people of Zambia... the orphaned, the at-risk, and the poor... by utilizing the land that is, like the people, so full of potential. Lifesong farms-Zambia reaped its first strawberry harvest in June, and local grocers have been purchasing the berries. With additional acres to farm, we are hoping to process some of the berries and begin marketing Lifesong Farms Strawberry Jam.

By harvesting fruit, we are able to serve more orphans by providing the gift of a job at Lifesong's gardens and self worth to an orphan's caregiver. We are also able to provide future employment for our kids as they transition into adult living, develop a system to raise funds to help cover operational costs, and develop expertise that can be replicated in multiple countries where Lifesong serves. Most of all, we are seeking to glorify Jesus as we teach others how He walked.  

**GIVEAWAY:

1st PRIZE: Lifesong is giving away a 1-night hotel stay for the LIVE ORPHAN SUNDAY event in Kansas City!!! Let me just tell you, this event will be FABULOUS!!!

2nd PRIZE: Lifesong is giving away FREE Gobena Coffee for 1 year - 2 lbs per month shipped straight to your home.

 

HOW do you enter? Well, I'm glad you asked! There are several ways to enter. PLEASE LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT ON THIS LIFESONG POSTING FOR EACH ENTRY, including your email address so Lifesong is able to contact you!!!

1. Share how the Lord is working in and through your adoption/orphan care ministry (1 entry)

2. Re-post this Zambia blog posting on YOUR blog to share what the Lord has been doing at Lifesong Zambia (1 entry)

3. Tell about an Orphan Sunday event you had or attended in the past (1 entry)

4. Tell your plans for THIS YEAR's Orphan Sunday on Nov. 6th (1 entry)

5. Re-post this on your facebook wall (1 entry)

6. Re-post this on your twitter page (1 entry)

7. Post on YOUR blogs, facebook, or twitter and tell Lifesong that I sent you (1 entry)

8. Tell what you think about the 'Brush to Berries' video - what moved you, what stood out to you, what are you excited about? (1 entry)

9. Become a fan of Lifesong on facebook here (1 entry)

10. Send an email to info AT lifesongfororphans DOT org asking to receive our monthly updates (1 entry)

PLEASE leave a separate comment on Lifesong's post for EACH entry, including your email address so they are able to contact you!

***Giveaway starts immediately and ends at midnight on Monday, October 3rd.

Anticipating

The last two nights I have been unable to achieve that deep restful sleep that we all need.  Part of me wonders if it is anticipation of getting answers tomorrow.  Tonight Lollipop and I will head into the big city and spend the night before heading during rush hour to another specialist.  I am thankful that Mr. Incredible is renting us a car so that I don't have to take the Mama Van (15 passenger) through rush hour traffic.  Little van's transmission needs to be replaced :( and is unable to be my ever faithful carriage on this venture.  I am incredibly thankful that I will not be needing to leave the house at 4am.  Tomorrow will be long enough without THAT too.  Yeah, for cheap hotels and even cheaper rental cars!
We would covet prayers that Lollipop could get a diagnosis and could soon start treatment for her brittle bones or that even if there was no diagnosis, if there is a way to treat her brittle bones and strengthen them we would have access to this.  There are treatments for children with brittle bones, but they have been inaccessible so far.

Sisters on the red couch at the White Swan

Hello Again!

Well I could write pages and pages of what has happened, hasn't happened and what needs to happen.  However, I don't have boundless amounts of time to write those pages and I doubt that you want to read all that.  So suffice it to say life has been extremely busy and I am going to try to get back to posting on a more regular basis!

A Challenge

Be sure to pause the music down on the right before listening.

Adoption Saves Money!

If you know me, you know I love to save money. 
Anyway, I ran across this interesting article by the President of Christian Alliance for Orphans on how adopting a child out of the foster care system (even a subsidized adoption) SAVES MONEY!  Now it's the government who's saving the money, but we all know how they need to :)  Enjoy! 

All Good Things Come To An End

It's been a wonderful, interesting, educating, lazy and sleepless week at my parents.  Tomorrow we go and pick up Mr. Incredible from the airport and head home.  I am not looking forward to the ten hour drive.  I already could really use a vacation to recover from this one. 
The time has flown and yet crept by at the same time.  Reminding me to take nothing for granted, cherish every moment, choose to see the good and above all LOVE.

 'If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.   Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
  Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part,  but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.  When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.  Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.'

~1 Corinthians 13

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today I had the most wonderful chance to spend my mom's birthday with her (at least the majority of it, more on that later).  This is a first in MANY years.  Since they don't live close (yet) we don't get a chance to see them often.  My mom was diagnosed several years ago with a "terminal" condition.  The doctor only gave her 3-5 years to live.  Well she has outlived her expected lifespan (by years) and she is getting better!  At this rate, she might outlive me!

I am so thankful for the godly influence my mom has been to me.  She is an intercessor on mine and my family's behalf.  She researches our children's diagnosis' and informs not only herself, but passes along useful information to me.  She has taught me how to persevere in the midst of illness, adversity and unpopularity.  She is my best friend.

Mom, thank you.  I love you. 

4+6=12

Today could be considered a very productive day and yet so unproductive at the same time!  Lollipop and I got to go on another out of town doctor run.  It somehow has eaten up the whole day.  Answers to our most pressing questions were abundant, but no clear diagnosis yet.  All tests with the exception of DNA testing are pointing to OI. The DNA testing can have up to a 40% NON-detection rate depending on the type of OI.  Types V-VII OI have NO DNA mutation at all.  Just in case you were curious.  LOL!

On the way home I was one of those crazy people who talk and drive, was handing water and snacks back and looking for a lost piece of paper...  I was trying to get a hold of the OI specialist at Shriner's, to no avail. :(   I was also trying to let Mr. Incredible know the encouraging news.  Thinking that an OI diagnosis is encouraging news probably sounds like I've lost a few marbles, I haven't. Yet.  If we can get an accurate diagnosis, we can get treatment and the healing can begin.  It is encouraging that earlier in the week she didn't break when she stumbled, but her leg breaking at a second site while in the cast is indicative of a very serious issue. 

Lollipop now has SIX doctors and has had 12 appointments in a two month time period.  She has more doctors than years in her life!  No wonder I feel like I am always running to the doctor!!! 'Cause that's just HER!

Our prayer is that the testing today is the final piece of the puzzle and we can get answers and treatment quickly.  We are also praying that the OI specialist is receptive of all the information he is receiving and just because her DNA is negative does not shut the door on her receiving a more aggressive treatment.  We pray that all doctors trying to help Lollipop will apply their knowledge skillfully, be blessed by our sweet Lollipop and have wisdom beyond their training. Amen.

Waste Not, Want Not

We keep hearing in the news about the government's spending.  We keep hearing about the need for a balanced budget.  We keep hearing about the growing deficit.  And yet we just received out third or fourth notice from the IRS about how our tax return's adoption credit refund is STILL under review.  (and I know we are not the only family going through this)  Now I appreciate them keeping me notified that six months after filing my taxes I still don't have my refund, but it is just somewhat redundant and definitely wasteful to send FOUR letters EVERY time they notify me!  Two envelopes with two letters each, that ALL say EXACTLY the same thing!!!!!  I am wondering how many jobs our adoption tax credit alone is creating! :)  And if the government can charge interest on unpaid taxes, why is it not possible for me to charge them interest on my unpaid tax refund!?!

Mr. Incredible had a very inspired thought the other day, every senator, congressperson, and ANYONE advising the President, and the President need to take the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class.  The key to not going into debt- spend less than you make.  The key to getting out of debt- spend a lot less than you make so you can pay off debt.  Maybe then we could get our tax return!!!

I receive an e-newsletter that's called Living On a Dime.  The following is from yesterday's issue and speaks to the issue of wastefulness, it was submitted by one of her readers.
"In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that she should bring her own grocery bag, because plastic bags weren't good for the environment. The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day."
The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. The former generation did not care enough to save our environment."
He was right. That generation didn't have the green thing in its day.
Back then, they returned their milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled so the company could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled.
But they didn't have the green thing back in that customer's day.
In her day they walked up stairs, because they didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. They walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time they had to go two blocks.
But she was right. They didn't have the green thing in her day.
Back then, they washed the baby's diaper, because they didn't have the throw-away kind. They dried clothes on a clothesline, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts - wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.
But that old lady is right, they didn't have the green thing back in her day."

It's so easy for me to get entrapped in convenience and wastefulness , but it does have a cost.  As food prices rise, I find myself making our own GF granola bars now to save some money.  We eat some kind of legume at least twice a week.  I menu plan our evening meals so I know exactly what I need from the store and I'm not guessing.  (Breakfast and Lunch are pretty much the same everyday, so not much thinking required there.) I'm shopping once every two weeks and not just running into town unless I can combine errands or it's for one of our many doctor appointments.  Hopefully soon (like after the tax return!, lol), I can get a solar clothes dryer (clothes line) since now I don't have to worry about neighbors seeing my clean (or dirty) laundry.  :)

If you have some tip on how to save money, I would love to hear it!

No New Fractures!!!!

This morning Lollipop had a little tumble when stepping down from the bathroom step stool.  This afternoon we saw the doc.  I am praising the Lord for no new fractures!!!  (and not having to go to the ER or a quick clinic or the pediatrician)  There is an "irregular" spot at her knee that we will watch the next couple of days, but for today NO CAST! 
Their is a lot of back story between the accident and seeing the doc- many phone calls, hard to work with office staff, anxiousness, dread.  God has proved faithful though and we are now kind of in with a new ortho, another long story.  Rejoicing over friends, faithfulness and mercy. 
This morning after Lollipop's tumble and all the ensuing drama, I had a moment of why did we do this?  There's easier ways to live, our life was busy enough already... As I stepped out of the doc's office carrying L, the love of God surrounded me and encouraged me that this was HIS plan. (or maybe it was just the heat! lol!  :))  He has a purpose in me running to town for x-rays with every tumble.  He has a healing for her and strength for me.  Now the week overdue grocery shop may not get done tonight, though it desperately needs to happen, but HE is still God and Provider and Sustainer.
Soon after our arrival home we were greeted with a phone call concerning the last of the tests from Children's.  Her skeletal survey is consistent with OI and does not show rickets or another metabolic disorder.  I am planning on keeping the Endo appointment, but one more piece of the puzzle has been added.  The doc at Shriner's will hopefully get this info today and then maybe he might be willing to do treatments other than diet???? 
But for now, I will focus on the good news of no new fractures and maybe being one step closer to knowing what exactly is wrong.

We Have An Endo Appt!!!

I'm doing a little happy dance! We see the endocrinologist next week. It took four days to schedule the appointment..., but WE'RE IN!

Making an Appointment

I used to think that I could call and make a doctor's appointment fairly easily...not any more.  Today marks day 3 that I've been trying to get into the Endocrinologist.  Still nothing is scheduled, no records have been transferred,...  This is pushing my limit of patience.  This and having six kids running around and trying to order school stuff and needing to grocery shop and, and, and... 

At least I was able to help a friend out today with prepping for a garage sale.  Don't know that I was THAT much help, but I tried.  I want to support them as they rearrange their life to follow God's calling.  They are selling almost all their worldly possessions and stepping off  the wonderful, intimidating cliff of whatever God has planned for them.  May God be with them and go with them.  They are an awesome family.

Well it's after five now, so I guess there won't be any news today on the appointment... maybe tomorrow... maybe.

A Moment of Joy

As I was on the 70+ mile drive to Shriners this morning with six kids in tow and after having gotten them up at 6am and dressed and fed and leaving at 7:15am, I realized how happy I was.  Kind of a strange time to relish motherhood as I was zipping down the interstate.  But it happened.  I was overcome with a gladness for where I am in life and for how each child brings a special blessing to our family.  I don't have to worry about them suffering from the same loneliness I experienced as an only child.  LOL!

The news that we got from Shriners was not good or bad, but still inconclusive.  The DEXA test, shows osteoporosis, but since her DNA test is normal she doesn't technically and most likely doesn't have Osteogenesis Imperfecta.  However there are types of OI where the DNA is normal and so now we are trying to schedule with an Endocrynologist (I'm sure that spelling has issues) and see if the issue is more dietary (diet in China) or are we dealing with a type of OI, or is the brittle bones because of something else...  Though I'm frustrated with still not having answers, I have a peace that God is in control and we will find out why Lillyanna breaks so easily.  It just won't be today.

Hanging Loose

Our time as a foster family taught me one thing, be flexible.  This week has gone from having nothing going on as of last Wednesday to me getting a filling and M getting two teeth pulled today, picking up E's glasses and registering her for school today.  Tomorrow looked a little less busy with just a post adopt social worker visit in the pm.  Now we are headed to a DEXA test at 9am at a hospital that's over an hour away and the worker's visit tomorrow.  (I might want to clean my house :)) Wednesday looks to be a library work day from 10-4.  Thursday and Friday are currently empty, but depending on the results of the testing, they may fill up too!

We did hear back from the DNA testing.  It's normal!?!  So don't ask me what that means other than Lilly could still have OI, but we would need MORE tests (in addition to the one tomorrow) depending on how the one tomorrow goes and the rest of the results we are still waiting for... 

Oh, and we started back to school today.  Or as least as well as you can if school begins at 2:30 in the afternoon...  We are easing into things- general science for Z, and TT7 for J were what we got done.

Reality Check

This was in my inbox this morning...

"Yesterday, we received referrals for our families whose dossiers were logged in on July 11, 2006."

These families have been waiting over five years to get and bring home their 'healthy' child. 

We were logged in June 2007.  We would still be waiting for our 'healthy' child another year, but God had different plans and has blessed us with two wonderful, extra special daughters instead of one in less than four years from our log in date.  My life is blessed.  I wouldn't have planned my life this way and some days the "blessing" of six extra special kids is quite overwhelming, but God remains faithful.  He is the Provider.  He is the Healer.  He is our Comfort.

Of Doctors, Broken Bones and Migraines

I think I've had enough of all three.
Lillyanna and I went to Shriners yesterday.  We met the specialist that I have been communicating with for almost a year and found out that we need more testing, which of course couldn't happen yesterday.  We walked or should I say I walked away with a little girl in a stroller unable to walk for more than 30 feet, two stickers, a stuffed bulldog, all the x-rays and discs that I took (that's a good thing), a free book, the hope of finding the answer soon and a migraine. 
On Monday Shriners will set up a Dexa (sp?), bone density test, for hopefully some time next week (at this point Tues and Wed. are out because of other things...).  Depending on the results of that test, we may or may not be able to start the infusions.  The infusion being a three day/two night in the hospital thing. !!!!!  Yeah, I hadn't expected THAT!  I had been told (or at least heard) three hours for the infusions previously, not THREE DAYS!!!!   Not sure how God is going to work this out.  I called my parents on the way home and begged for them to move here.  Not counting on it, but it would be nice. :)

Truth Telling

Telling the truth around our house is a big deal, even if it means you will get into trouble.  You will usually get into less trouble if you are truthful...  Now we have a child who likes to extend the boundaries of the "truth" beyond what is truthful and we've had to talk about such things like, "Is this something you saw with your eyes or saw in your imagination?",  "A worm is not a snake",  "The hopping of a bunny is not the stomping of a bear".

This afternoon we got to hear about a how he heard a tree 'timbering' in the woods.  (This was when he was outside without having permission, again).  He regaled us with how he was just standing there and somewhere he heard a crash so of course we should check around the house... which we didn't.  When we left the house this evening, we saw a newly fallen tree and our wonderful son proclaimed in a very surprised voice, "OH, I was telling the truth!!!"  LOL!  I think he was almost as surprised as us that he had indeed told the truth.

The Casts are OFF!

What more can be said?!?  After five weeks and one day of being casted, she is free!  We are free.  I bought lifejackets for the girls while "in town" after we knew that she would not need to be recast.  Since we've only had her for 7 weeks and two days the feeling of her being in a cast for FOREVER, really isn't quite an overstatement. 
I would take pictures, but... her skin that was under the cast is...a little scaly right now and "Don't scratch that" is not one of the Chinese phrases I learned.  Imagine a snake shedding...
I also need to say that she did SO GOOD at the office.  "This is going to tickle" is another Chinese phrase I didn't learn.  So when someone you don't really know comes at you with a saw and says in English, "This is going to tickle." and your mom is holding you down and saying in Chinese, "It's okay, it's okay" to only cry, ain't bad.  We started with her arm and by the second side she wasn't even crying!!!  I am amazed.  God did good in calming her little heart.
X-rays were taken after the casts came off an it looks like she has a second fracture in her right fibula...  I just need to try to figure out if it's on the skeletal survey from two weeks ago.  The ortho was happy with the callus on it... Maybe we can go 48 hours on US soil without a cast?!  I'm hoping!!!!
Gotta run, the "science guy" is coming over for dinner and experiments tonight!!!

A Moment of Doubt

Standing in my kitchen yesterday after working on getting E enrolled in part time Deaf Ed through our new school district, I was struck with, "It would be so much easier to put the kids in school.  We live in a better school district now...  I would have more time for the foster/adoption ministry.  I could finally have order in the house!  After the school supplies and clothes are bought, I would be DONE!!" 

Then I went to a local homeschool group's summer meeting (more out of duty than joy) and heard about several families that are new to homeschooling because they were fed up of stuff at public schools!  One woman had worked for a school district for 17 years then pulled her son out because they were tired of all the 'other stuff' happening at the school! (and it was one of the "good" schools)!!  Ms. V shared scripture after scripture about how kings of the Bible, God fearing kings, would doubt and put their trust in earthly things and God would have to reprimand them. 

Well, I would be remiss to ignore that God was trying to get MY attention.  That when I do have doubt, I need to trust HIM.  When I am feeling overwhelmed about how to school a 7th, 5th, two 1sts, a pre-K and basically a pre-pre-K, I need to trust that HE has a plan for all of this and it's not for me to lose my sanity.  Thank you Ms. V for your words of encouragement and scheduling such a wonderful time of refreshment.  Like a glass of water to a parched mouth, I left feeling revived and full of joy for what lies ahead.

What's There To Be Scared Of?

Bumping, running, walking, jumping, sitting, falling, a finger closed in a book, holding, dropping, crying, bathing, sleeping.  All of these are things that I am now scared of.

Life has taken on a whole new twist as we wait to see specialists.  Any of the above could cause her injury or mean she's injured or are just a pain in the backside because of a full arm and leg casts.

I jokingly told someone that I was suffering from Post Adoption Depression and they said that there is an actual 'syndrome' called Adjustment Disorder Depression (?)!  Not that I am depressed, but little things that I used to take for granted now take A LOT of effort.  We knew adopting a child with OI was going to be a challenge, but finding out that she has five healing fractures, compressed vertabrae and the broken arm are a little beyond even the challenge that we thought possible.  China had told us her last fracture was Feb. 2010.  When we got her, she came with documentation that showed the last known fracture was June 2010 (we should have been told about this, because it was before the referral) and we have no date or record on these five others (which are more recent than June 2010)...  Meanwhile she's happy as a lark walking around on a left leg with two fractures and no cast and a right leg with one fracture and a cast.  I will hopefully have the chance this week to talk extensively with the local ortho about the left leg, his viewing of her left leg x-rays...  We might be looking for a new ortho... 
As every day has brought challenges, everyday also brings joy.  It is these moments of joy that I dwell on, not on what might happen.