beyond blessed

This morning, I am still in awe and overwhelmed at all that happened yesterday for the cause of our adoption! It was an amazing day! It really was.

I headed up to Birmingham for a yard sale hosted at my mom and in-laws' church, The Community Church, in Springville, AL. The pastor (formerly my youth pastor) and his wife are all about adoption and wanted to support ours in some way... so they came up with the yard sale idea. They worked tirelessly on Friday to get everything set up... my mom was POOPED by the time I got there Friday night. But, it was set and ready to go for Saturday morning! Looks at all the stuff:

And the pastor's kids wanted to help too, so they cam equipped in their Halloween costumes ready to welcome people in

Probably one of the funniest things I've ever seen.  Who wouldn't stop for that? Or least slow down enough to almost wreck????? HAHA!

So, God is so good! 

In just 5 hours,  7:00-12:00, we raised over $1,000!!!!

I am blown away and so thankful! No words can express how much appreciation we have for The Community Church, our parents, and all who helped with the yard sale yesterday! :) AWESOME! 

So, While I was in Birmingham raking in the dollars for selling stuff, Jacob was in Troy for a work day with the amazing people from Hepzibah Baptist Church. They have taken on the cause of adoption as the responsibility of the body of Christ, and are supporting us as we work to get Eric home.  They so graciously partnered with us in building some clocks and devoted a WHOLE day to building them with us.  Most of these people are strangers... just wanting to serve the Lord and help a little boy get home!!!! So amazing... so humbling! Look at these people work!

Jacob sent me these pictures while I was working at the yard sale... I had to fight back tears! Complete strangers... serving the Lord and serving us. WOW! 

So when I get home I went straight to the barn to see all they had done! 

They had put together and painted over 115 clocks!!! 

That is so great! 

 Again, we are having an EXTREMELY hard time saying how thankful we are... our hearts are just filled to the brim with joy and gratitude! I hope God just blesses all of you in CRAZY ways like you have blessed us.

Just in awe...

LET'S BRING ERIC HOME! 

How do you say thank you?...

Jacob and I are really struggling with how to say thank you these days. How do you say "thank you" when it means so much?

We are needy right now - In need of money and help and support and encouragement to get our son home.  It's hard to be needy sometimes... hard to have nothing to contribute except obedience.

But... it's so good to see how God is working through His church and His people. It's amazing the love and support we have seen and felt from our closest friends/family to people we have never met.

God is amazing and His love towards us is GREAT (Psalm 86)! He uses His people and His church to love on those He calls...
Family/friends giving sacrificially...
Strangers buying clocks...
People we've only heard about featuring us on their website... LoveGodFearNothing
A church in our area taking our adoption on as their Fall/Winter mission, videoing our journey...
Our parents working tirelessly with us to build clocks...
A church we know and love hosting a yard sale for us...
Our sister-in-law doing a jewelry party as a fundraiser...
Prayer warriors battling for us and Eric...
Opportunities to share our story with so many people...

And all we can offer is a simple "thank you"... but we feel so much more. "Thank you" doesn't come close to the true appreciation, humbleness, and gratefulness we feel.

We are in awe of God and His great love towards us.  We are in awe of people and their kindness.

So... know that a "Thank you" is what we can say... but our hearts and lives will never be the same because of this adventure... because of your love... support... encouragement... prayers... and help.

Let's get Eric home!

Eric is a loved boy and we are so grateful!

Adoption... Humor!

FIRST... Buy a CLOCK or a PUZZLE PIECE... or just DONATE (PayPal button) to help BRING ERIC HOME!

So... Adoption isn't ALL about paperwork and money.  Jacob and I have had some fun along the way. Some funnies happened this weekend... wanna read about them? Okay... 3 stories here...

#1 So Friday we had to go get our medical exams for the adoption paperwork.  Our sweet doc friend saw us after hours to help us out! (so thankful). So we go and are getting stuff checked out... we're healthy as larks! Then we had to get blood work done... sounded fun.  We go over to the tech guy and get ready to give our cells.  He starts making fun of people who pass out while giving blood.  He said he likes to take pictures of the passed out people and post them on Facebook (funny). Then he said but everyone he has told that to hasn't passed out because people are more scared of facebook than needles...
So... Jacob goes first. He has perfect veins apparently and gets the blood out like a champ. Then it's my turn.
My veins are pretty good now... very blue and veiny.  He got the needle in there pretty easily and was getting some redness in the tubes.  Then... he started saying that the flow was slowing down and he started mashing on my vein to get the blood to come out.  Okay... not cool.  So, I had a stress ball in my hand to help... so I started pumped my hand as hard as I could because I was feeling a bit dizzy... 
He kept mashing around and I got dizzier and dizzier.  My head was getting heavier... so I said, "I'm feeling a bit dizzy..."  I was trying to convince myself that I didn't need to pass out.  Jacob's response was, "You aren't gonna pass out are ya?"...
I said, "I'm trying not to..." THEN I PASSED OUT with the needle still in my arm! The stress ball hit the floor! The tech freaked out.  Jacob went into camp counselor mode! And I was out! BAHAHAHA!
I woke up and Jacob was fanning me. Tech guy was a little frazzled. And I wasn't feeling so good.

I laid down and got some color back in my face... and we laughed LOTS! But... guess what?! No one took pictures of me!! Hip hip hooray! :)

Sad news... the doc called and said Jacob's blood work came back great but guess who has to go get hers done again because they didn't get enough blood... ME!!!!!! AHH!!! What am I going to do!!!! golly... super humorous!! or not...

#2 The parentals/future grandparents came down this weekend for birthday celebrations... and we put them to work on clocks! We had a great day - yummy food, good convos, and CLOCKS! We made about 25 clocks this weekend! WOO HOO! But it was so humorous to me... all of us woman wallowing around on the cement floor painting these wooden clocks... with the majority of the paint getting on our clothes and faces than the actual clocks!! We laughed at ourselves a lot! :) It's SOOOOOO good (not a strong enough word) that we have parents... and Eric has grandparents who are willing to get dirty and messy and worn out to help us!

FYI - their grandparent names are Big D and Grammy (Jacob's parents) and my mom's name is Grann! :) That was decided this week... I looked up what grandma was in Creole (which is what they speak in Belize... English and Creole).  I like it! GRANN! And my dad's name is PawPaw (decided by Ava!) :)


#3 So.. Tuesday we went to Atlanta for a Lifeline Children's Services (our homestudy agency) seminar called "ADOPT WITHOUT DEBT" (YES PLEASE!).  We had a great time just being in the car together... away for Troy and the chaos. We REALLY enjoy the seminar.  Most of the information was taken from this book...
because the author was the presenter! Julie was great!! We got lots more ideas, met other couples in the adoption process, and got to spend the night together.  Well... after the seminar was done... my brain was just whirling with different ideas.  We both had to use the restroom before heading back to Troy...
So, I was just talkin' away... not paying attention... and I followed Jacob RIGHT INTO THE MEN'S BATHROOM!!!!! bahahahaha!! He turned around (I still didn't know what I had done) and said, "Ummm.... you know you are in the men's bathroom, right?" hahaha.  So I scampered out. THANK GOD no one was standing at the urinal at the time!!!!

So... adoption is quite humorous... it does crazy things to your mind and heart! :) Hope you had some laughs.

Pourin' it out

Trust in him at all times, you people;

    pour out your hearts to him,    

for God is our refuge.

Psalm 62:8

I've been doing a lot of pouring my heart out to Him lately...

Selfishly for our adoption... well I guess it's not "selfish'... but it can get that way. Ya know... i've never been a mom to a 12/13 year old before, I've never gone through the adoption process, and I've never had to raise over $22,000 for something I believe in so strongly before.  Good thing God is ever present... He is my refuge. I've poured my heart out to Him a lot... I do trust Him... more than ever. HE WILL NOT FAIL US... or you! But get this... pouring my heart out to him... PRAYING... invites His power and presence into every situation, doubt, question, circumstance, fear, and joy. Lately, I haven't just been inviting... I have been begging Him to intervene, to show up, to show off, to be HUGE... and He does not disappoint. 

Also learning to pour my heart out about everything... not only the adoption. Praying for family... not just surface prayers but radical, life-changing prayers. For our church... specific requests and begging for revival.  For our city... o, our city... for God to take over, to create leaders in our community who love the Lord and will mentor the children in Troy, for there to be UNITY (color, ethnicity, religious label... whatever). For my girls, our youth, and college ministry - that He would rock their worlds and His love would spur them to action - that they would question the social norms in order to follow HIS WILL, not their comforts or others' expectations. For friends - that God would use them in unimaginable ways, that their hearts would be content with Him alone, and that we would always/only glorify Him with our friendships.  Even learning to pray about work... this is difficult for me. I'm not sure why, but I tend to compartmentalize my prayer life.  Sometimes I think that since my job isn't directly ministry-related, I don't need to pray for it... so so so wrong. How more of a need. So I have been pouring my heart out about the needs we have at work, the things going on that I thought before God wouldn't necessarily care about... I don't know why I thought that, but it feels SO GOOD to take it to Him instead of stressing over it. Last Fall semester I was a stressed bag of nerves... never again... my God cares for me, I can lay ALL my burdens (including work) at His feet, I can pray (about whatever is on my heart) and He will and does HEAR ME! How awesome. He loves us so much...

We have our first home study interview on Monday. 

:)

We are excited... and a wee bit nervous. I am just gonna pour out my heart to Him about it... AND CLEAN!!! Ahh... The social worker is also going to do the home tour on Monday as well... so guess what I am doing this weekend before the football game?? THAT'S RIGHT... CLEANING every inch of my house. 

It's exciting and overwhelming. 

I got a letter from my bestie Emily this week. She wrote about how we have always talked and dreamed about adoption... and now is the time for Jacob and I. How crazy!! It has always been my heart... and God is allowing us to partner with Him to bring a child home from Belize!! :) 

So... be encouraged... POUR YOUR HEART OUT TO HIM... your whole heart. He hears you. He absolutely adores you. 

P.S. If you want a clock... email me! annamorgan121909@gmail.com 

MORE CLOCKS... and my heart

HAPPY FRIDAY! 

Exciting times... football is starting, long weekend, and adoption! :) Just get used to it... now that I can finally say WE ARE ADOPTING.. I'm gonna say it a lot! YAY! 

This week was extremely good for my heart! God is at work. Our youth room was packed on Wednesday night! That's good stuff.  Now... we aren't all about numbers. We concentrate on DEPTH. But... if students are there.. PRAISE GOD! We have an awesome college student, Hunter, who leads worship for us each week! He's great and we are so thankful for him! 

Last night was our community outreach ministry, The Connection!! We had 44 people come! We were able to give our school supplies and school uniforms to kids who came.  We also gave out 29 Bibles and had people asking for more!! That's a great problem to have.  I'm willing to go broke to have the Word of God in people's hands! It was a really great time.  Sometimes... when you think something is not worth continuing because you don't have a huge support from the church... God shows up and He reminds you why you do what you do. I'm thankful He knows me and knows when my heart needs encouragement. 

Last - MORE CLOCKS!!! Buy one... show your friends... have a wedding shower coming up? Birthday? Christmas??? Football season??? Just because?  

Alabama clock anyone? Yea... me neither, but we can make YOUR team colors! :) 

This one was made for a dance studio called 5, 6, 7, 8,... DANCE!!! 

I like it. It's fun! :)

ARTSY!!! We have some more unique ones being finished up!!! I like the weird ones the best! This one is going to be hanging in an art room! Perfect, huh?

Classy :)

GO VOLS!!! War Eagle!! Or... maybe ya just like the rusty look.. I do!!! 

Keep praying! 

Happy Labor Day Weekend! 

WE ARE ADOPTING!!

I can finally ANNOUNCE it!! I have been holding back until I could tell my Bible study girls and all the people that needed to know before they saw it on Facebook! I got to tell my girls last night... and Jacob told his boys... so I can now tell the world!!! I think it's important to tell the girls/boys you are investing in the big stuff before you just announce it.  I know it was important for me when my mentors/role models told me things before I found out in a less personal way.  Anyways... THE NEWS: 

WE ARE ADOPTING!!! 

AHHH!! We JUST started the process. We have started our home study with Lifeline Children's Services and the adoption application process with One World Adoption Services. 

Our hearts have always been for adoption.  I actually have just wanted to adopt... none of that getting pregnant stuff (we'll see if that holds true). Our hearts have been broken for orphans - adoption is the Gospel. We were adopted into Christ's family... a forever family that we did not earn... we were ADOPTED by grace. He calls us His sons. He calls us beloved. AMEN! 

Jacob and I had decided earlier this year that we were going to wait longer before starting the adoption process and possibly have a biological child first.  You know... try out the whole parenting thing on our own genetically made kid and then do it for real on a child we adopt. Well.. God had other plans.  We had also made comments like,"well... we aren't ready to adopt. We will have kids when we are ready." God let us know recently that adoption is not about being ready... it's not about our comfort... it's about RESCUING KIDS and LOVING them because HE LOVES US! 

So... here we are.  We are starting the adoption process. Applying to adopt a 12-13 year old from Belize. Yep. That's what God has laid on our hearts to do. We will be obedient. We are believing Him like never before. 

We are told we will need to raise around $22,000 plus travel cost when we go to get our child. :)

God will show up. He will provide. He is faithful. 

We ask that you first and foremost partner with us in prayer.

That you pray for our hearts to grow and be equipped in the WAITING. That you pray for our child who is waiting to be adopted. That God will let them know they are loved and wanted and being pursued. That things will go smoothly with our home study and the adoption process.  That things on the Belize side will go well and we will find favor throughout. Pray that God will provide the money and resources needed. Pray... whatever He tells you to pray. :) 

Also, if you want to partner with us in raising the funds... we welcome that too. :) 

We are making clocks to sell for adoption funds. :) My hubby is actually making them and I am painting them.  It's been really fun doing crafts together knowing that this work and time is helping us bring home our child! HOW COOL! 

If you want one, email me - annamorgan121909@gmail.com

The regular size is 15in x 15in and are $30. 

The bigger size is 2 ft x 2 ft and are $50.

 We accept donations as well.  

If you need us to ship them to you... it will be a little extra.

You can special order them... any color, design, etc. Just let us know! :) 

This is the BIG one! 

We are super excited... and super nervous too. We know this is the crazy life God has called us to. We have no doubt this is the journey we are to take right now. 

So... as long as God allows it... we will be 25 years old (once it's all said and done), married for 3 years, with a 12-13 year old child!!! 

LOVE IT! God is good!