We got THE CALL!!!!!

YES! It happened! I was not expecting the call. I honestly had it in my mind that we would be waiting a few more months. I just never thought it would happen right now.

Our case worker called Jay yesterday. He was in a meeting, but when he saw her number (and it's not time for our monthly update!) he immediately got out of his meeting and answered. We were on the wait list for up to 3 children, but requested at least 2 boys, and if there was a third in there we would take a boy or a girl. K wanted to know if we would be willing to change our parameters and consider a new sibling set they had that was a sister and brother. So, Jay hangs up ... calls me. I was attempting to rest - which you moms know is almost a joke! My "rest time" had already been interrupted 3 times by some precious children.

(I feel like I need to paint a better picture of the last month or so of my life . . . EVERYONE in my house has been sick during the last 5 weeks! 3 kids with the flu (ALL at separate times which equals very little sleep!), husband on 2 rounds of antibiotics, that alone = one tired momma. All this during the holidays and trying cook, shop, work, etc. Then we opened gifts Christmas morning and left to go to Atlanta for Jay's family Christmas (which was great!) But we came back Monday night to my house looking like a tornado went through it. 2 kids threw up in the car on the way home. My oldest has a 102 temp still. AHHHHHHH Take me a way! I spent Tuesday cleaning to have some sense of peace and had FINALLY said "momma is laying down for 30 minutes!")

So when he calls and asks what I'm doing, I say kinda irritatingly, "I was trying to get 30 minutes of rest!" He then says, "well K just called." WELL, I'm up and at attention!!! "She wants to know if we will consider a daughter and a son." ME - "YES!" So we call her back and have the 45 minutes referral phone call where we get all the details about them and we get to see them for the first time! MY heart melts. I'm trying to listen to all that K is saying, but those precious faces!! At the end of the phone call she asks if we want to move forward. We asked for some time because Jay was at work, I was at home and we felt we needed time to pray and talk as a family since this was different than what we had planned. (we had planned being the key phrase there!)

The kids had hair cut appts, that we were late for, and then we met for dinner. We told the kids at dinner that we had gotten a call from our agency and they were asking us to consider a 5 year old girl and 18 month old son. My kids immediate reaction was priceless. Our son Carter says "I call him my brother for my whole life!" Haley says, "they are ours, I know it, let's go get them." I was honestly worried about how they would react so they calmed me and gave me the peace I was looking for. Jay also said he knew they were ours. So, we called K back and said "YES!!" We are in love with them already. We would move ahead. We spent last night doing those lovely transition packets. Gotta love paper work! We got to 3 since we have children in different age groups and siblings!!! Finished it up and emailed them back.

Our plan is never really the plan to begin with. The fact that we got the call during absolute chaos I find perfect. Really, I love the chaos. Wouldn't have it any other way. I could do with out the flu, but I love being the mom and getting them through the flu. I love my house being a wreck and know it's that way because my kids are very comfortable in their home and want to be here. HIS plan is perfect. He knew all along I had these two beautiful faces waiting on me. He chose the perfect time for me stop and see Him when it was the hardest time to stop and see Him. Another reminder He is always in control and holding us in His hands.

Now we wait to hear about court dates. Not sure of the time table at this point. They should be home sometime this spring. We thank you all for your prayers and support!! We are just thrilled and in love with a picture of some beautiful smiling faces!!! I can't wait to get my arms around them!

Happy New Year to you all! What a fabulous way to end 2010!!!

Candi

Coasting

This is why I had not started a blog until adoption and I still stink at it!  I get emails about how I have not posted in a while.  I usually wait until I feel led to say something.  Well, tonight I feel led and will probably offend someone - but those who know me know I do that regularly.  You never have to guess how I'm feeling.  I honestly wish more people would just express their true feelings and everybody could respect people's feelings, learn from them and if they differ, move on knowing this is what makes the world go round.  That was a tangent all to say, I'm going to state how I really feel!

I realized and have expressed many times recently I could really coast to grand kids at this point. I work a part time job at the children's hospital 2 days a week.  I am a mother of 3 awesome kids, all in school.     We have reached the school, homework, piano lessons, soccer, football, etc. stage in life and I LOVE IT!!  I love being a mom.  I love helping with homework.  I love reading books and being read to.  I LOVE the sports and cheering my kids on.  I love this stage of life.  I even love teenagers and hanging out with them.  So I'm ready for the next stage.   I know at this point I could coast until grandkids.

BUT, God did not call me to coast.  This is the simple answer to why we are adopting. We are all called to love and care for the orphans and widows.  Now, your family might not be "called" to adopt, BUT you are called to do something. That is very clear in scripture.   I wanted to put a word out because I have read on blogs and our list serv the beat down it takes to do fundraising and how that part can have such a negative impact on the adoption process.  Fundraising is like a full time job and it is hard when the same families help, support, give over and over and others just smile at you.  (some don't even smile, they are ugly! we won't go there)  We are so humbled and appreciative of all the help we have received.  We feel very blessed, but it is obvious that some are really struggling.  I have no clue who reads this, but I want to challenge you to really help those who are willing to bring in another child.  It is not something you wake up one morning and think, "hmm, I think I'll adopt."  It is a long and strenuous process that only God can put together.  Pray over that and see where you are supposed to fit in.  None of us were called to coast - we were called to do God's work.  And I promise you, you are in the plan to care for the orphans. If we all did our part think, wow, just imagine the work God could do for orphans.

Family

I love my family dearly! My brother lives in Asia. We get to see him and his family every 2-3 years. They have been in America for the last 9 weeks. We have had them in TN for about 4 weeks of that time. When they are home we squeeze all the quality time in that we can!
They board a plane tomorrow to go back to Asia and this is the first time I am having a VERY hard time letting go. We have left each other many times over the last 12 or so years. The first time was horendous! It never really gets any easier, it's always hard, but something I have always been able to handle in my heart because I knew he and his family are called there. This time, I'm very unsettled in my heart. I love my brother, my sister in law, my nephews and my precious neice (who can handle herself well with all those brothers!) I have tried to pin point why this time is so much harder. One thing is because the kids are getting older, I miss years of their lives. Our kids are getting older also and they all understand now what it means when they say good bye to their cousins. Lots of crying going on in my home tonight!

But this time I think it is harder because we are adopting. I want them here so badly to walk every step with us. I want the support we feel when they are around. Those who are or have adopted know the back lash that can occur. Many say very weird things. Some hurtful, some don't support you, and some just don't understand. With my brother and his family being missionaries, they have been in similar shoes many times. (really most of the time!) They constantly need the prayers and the love and the support. They greatly desire for people to see and feel what they do every day. I know they understand our calling and understand why we are doing this and have just simply loved and supported us through this. It has been so easy to talk about our journey with them. They have NEVER questioned or down played our calling. They listen. And they are so excited and did everything possible they could while here with us, which was more than anyone else has done. To have that love and support that was so easily there helped me breathe a little easier these past few weeks.

So as we say goodbye, again, I'm desparately trying to not pray some very selfish prayers. I would love for God to bring them home. But their calling is in Asia. Mine is here with orphans. This journey never ceases to amaze me. I love being able to see what God uses. I have very much fallen in love with all of those who need families. Everyone deserves unconditional love. Also, with this, he has given me another level of understanding and what I need to do to support others when they are called on their journey. Simply put - I might not get it, but I can support it and love them through it. My brother and my sister in law AND their kids have shown me that. I know they get it - the adoption thing, but they have shown me what simple love and support can do for someone who KNOWS they are doing what they are called to do and just needs to know there is somone who is walking beside them and provides that love and support. Period.

So as I cry myself to death over the next 24 hours, here are a few pics of all the cousins. Next time we will have a few more! How fun is that think about?!

We played ALOT!! Celebrated birthdays, played soccer, cooked out, took some field trips, biked, picniced, football games, Titans game, played in the creek, ate Ethipian, and LOTS of swimming and hot tub time!



Eating Ethiopian

And LOTS of swimming in the pool and enjoying the hot tub!

It's late...

and I'm learning eCommerce on the fly.  If there is someone out there who wants to try out my t-shirt web purchase using Paypal, I would love the feedback to see how well it works.  I'm sure I will make adjustments over time, but we just got the t-shirts in, and we are excited about getting them out there for everyone to see!

Preview and order One Less Orphan T-Shirts

Rodan and Fields Dermatologists

When we were being led to adopt money was an issue for us, so instead of making excuses about money, I decided to find a way to make extra money.  I feel like I hit the jack pot with this company.  Dr. Rodan and Dr. Fields are the dermatologists who developed Proactive.  They have a new skin care company that I feel blessed to have found and feel very proud to be apart of.  

If you are in the process of adopting - this is an awesome way to raise/make extra funds.  If you need residual income - here's your answer!  

If you just need some incredible skin care - I would love to help you out and you are helping bring my children home at the same time!!!!  (check out my website.  https://candigalbreath.myrandf.com/) 

I posted this tonight because the Doctors themselves will be on a national opportunity call WEDNESDAY NIGHT  SEPT 1st!!!!  CALL in and hear what they have to say!  It can change your life! 

712-432-9735  Access code 79033    9eastern, 8central, 6 pacific.

My websites
https://candigalbreath.myrandf.com/

https://candigalbreath.myrandf.biz/

I would love to tell you all there is to know about this company.  Feel free to email me and I'll get back in touch!  candi.galbreath@gmail.com

Radical

I have just finished Radical by David Platt. I had to blog to say - YOU must read this book!

Someone had recommended it when I posted a couple of months ago about what God was doing in our lives and the message we had gotten loud and clear is we were not radically devoted. We were stuck in the American Dream. Then my brother came home for a few weeks this summer and he handed me that book. I read it and now telling you, you should read it!!

We have been fervently looking for a church home. We have attended a few churches over the past couple of years and this message of what being radically devoted to Christ vs the American dream has been a very common thread. I do not think it has been by coincidence that so many pastors have this on their hearts. God is sending a very big message to wake a lot of people up. I'm gonna say it and probably offend a few, but here it goes - Serving within your church walls is not active faith. We have found a way to be comfortable and trick ourselves into thinking as long as the "do nots" are not on our list of confessions we are covered. God has broken my heart over our faith being a collection of do nots instead of dos.

I live in Brentwood, TN - has to be in the top 10 most affluent areas in our country which makes it one of the richest places to live in the entire world! We are so unaware of what needs there are even in Nashville, much less around the world. We all give money easily, but that's not really what God is asking of us. What are you doing to truly impact the world for Christ? I'm struggling with what that is for me and my family, but I'm starting to do something about it. Friends, church groups, support systems are all important, but serving only within those groups is not what you were called to do. I know we like to believe some "were called" to foreign missions and that we were not "called." Well, God gave the great commission to everyone. That means you should be doing something, somewhere!

Go read the book! Pray over it and let's all start doing something!

Candi

(I feel like I could preach a sermon here, but read the book - then message me! I would love to hear what you think about it and what you see people or yourself doing!)

SWIM TEAM!!!!

I'm finally downloading pictures from this summer. AND as a very PROUD momma - had to post some of my little fish. Our family loves summer swim team! They have all swam since they were 4 on swim team. (Mom being a pediatric nurse practitioner makes swimming a non negotionable item in our family! Good thing they all love to swim!) Anyway, we had a great swim season. Had to share some great pictures of victory!

Carter won high point winner for his age group - big deal if you don't know what that means. He got the most points for the whole season for the 6 and under boys and got a T shirt to wear proudly!

Haley did amazing in her championship meet! She got 6th runner up (out of about 200 girls I think.) YAY for Haley!!!

SB sporting her ribbons and metals from her championship meet. She was the youngest in her division this year, so getting some ribbons and metals is a big deal! She swam her personal best in everything she did - she's awesome!

Here's Carter sporting his trophy and metals. He won 4th runner up in the 6 and under boys. His relay broke the county record by 2 seconds - that's alot in swimming! YAY for Carter!!

I know parents who brag can be annoying, but I'm going to be annoying. I am so proud of all of their hard work!! Swimming takes a lot of dedication and gives so much back beyond metals and trophies! Very proud of them for getting up every morning and practicing. Takes alot of perseverance and courage to be on swim team. YAY for them! (and if I don't brag loudly, who will? Right?)