Eight Years Together

Pam ~ Yesterday, March 7, 2011, marked the 8 year anniversary of when Nathan and I started "officially" dating :-).  So, we had a little celebration.

"How," might you ask, "did you celebrate this momentous occasion?"

Well.......................................

We ordered a Papa Murphy's pizza, bought some IBC cream soda from WalMart, redboxed "Megamind", and ate Oreos :-).

It was a GREAT evening!!!!!!!!!

"Just Love Coffee" March Madness Incentive

"Just Love Coffee" is having a March Madness Incentive!!!!  And YOU can help us!!!!

If we earn $75 or more in proceeds in the month of March 2011, then we will receive 4 bags of 13oz coffee of our choice, a Travel Mug, and a bumper sticker.  That's over $60 in product that we will GIVE AWAY!!!

That means we need to sell 15 bags of coffee in March.  That's more than we have sold in any one month so far, but with your help we CAN DO IT!!!  And because we don't drink coffee (gasp) we will have a drawing to GIVE IT AWAY!!!

For every bag of coffee YOU purchase in March (if we meet the goal of $75) you will get 1 entry into our drawing.  Why don't you take this opportunity to help us and stock up on your coffee supply.  Maybe buy some as a gift for a family member or friend.  The cost of this coffee is comparable with Starbucks brand coffee (so I've been told).  Will you please help us reach this goal????

Please share our "Just Love Coffee" store link (www.justlovecoffee.com/Maxwells) on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, or however else you communicate with people :-).  And check it out for yourself :-).

Two Months DTE

Pam ~ Today marks two months of officially waiting for a referral.  Our prayer is that God will allow us to completely save the $9,785 we need in order to accept our referral BEFORE we receive a phone call with the names and then an e-mail with the photos of our children.  While I would LOVE to be praying for a referral phone call TODAY, we don't have the money saved yet.  So, I am praying for God to bring the money in to us in HIS perfect timing.

Having said all that, we are currently number.......

.....in the "Siblings under 4 years" category.

That means we have moved up 2 places since last month!!!  Where do you think we'll be one month from now????

Praying for My Babies

Pam ~ Last night as I was in bed and supposed to be going to sleep, I had the overwhelming feeling of wanting to know where my babies are and how they are doing.  Most of the time I do a pretty good job of separating myself from those emotions, and praying almost in a disconnected state so that I don't cry every time I think of them.  And while I didn't cry last night, I prayed fervently for them.  That God would protect them and surround them with His love.

I'm still having those feeling this morning.  I don't know if something monumental is happening in my children's lives today or not, but they are on my heart and mind and I am praying constantly for them this morning.

Will you please join with me in praying for my children today?  Maybe someday we will have a date on a piece of paper that tells us what was happening in their lives today, and maybe we won't.  But that doesn't matter to me.  I'm praying for my babies!!!!!

Soup Supper & Silent Auction TOTAL!!!!!

Pam ~ This is going to be a short post because we are leaving for church in a few minutes, but this is the first chance I've had to update you all about our Soup Supper & Silent Auction we had last night. 

The bad news.  I forgot to take any PICTURES!!!!  I am soooooooooooooooo upset with myself that I forgot!!!!  I had my camera there and everything, but I got so distracted with visiting everyone and enjoying the evening that I completely forgot about my camera :-(.  So I don't have any pictures to share with you :-(

The good news.  God allowed us to raise..........

$1145.85

Isn't our God GREAT?!?!?!?

AND this amount will be doubled because of our matching grant from Lifesong!!!!!

Fundraising Focus

Soup Supper & Silent Auction

 

 It's actually almost HERE!!!  God gave us this idea just about a month ago, and we have been hard at work ever since to put it all together.  Over 30 people have volunteered to help us in one or more areas ~ donating items for our silent auction, making soup or desserts, coming to help serve/clean-up, etc.  What a blessing they have all been to us!!!  And what a story we will have to tell to our children!!!

While we are praying for the Lord's blessing on this event, we are also praying for a peace and contentment within His will.  If God choose to provide through this fundraiser, we will give HIM the praise and glory!!!  If God chooses to not provide financially through this fundraiser, we will STILL give HIM the praise and glory for how He chooses to provide in another way!!!  God is teaching us to trust in Him fully and completely through every area and step throughout this adoption journey!!!

Having said that, we ARE praying for God to bless this fundraiser.  Will you join us in praying for the success of our soup supper?

If you live in central Iowa, we would LOVE to have you attend our Soup Super & Silent Auction!!!

Place: Slater Baptist Church, 601 Story Street, Slater, Iowa

Date: Saturday, February 19th

Time: 6-8 p.m.

Cost: 2 yrs & under ~ FREE

          3-10 yrs ~ $3 each

          11 yrs & up ~ $5 each

Silent Auction Baskets include

     * Hair Bows

     * Bible Study w/coffee

     * "Kitchen" basket

     * 2 hand-made baby afghans

     * Mary Kay

     * "Edible Arrangements" fruit bouquet

     * Ice Cream cake

     * "Winter Night in Iowa" basket

     * "Wellness" basket

     * Chocolate & Coffee

     * An evening of babysitting

     * Family Movie Night

Other Fundraisers ~ Homemade cards, Faith and Grace quilts, Just Love Coffee, Soda cans, Christmas ornaments

My Week

Pam ~ Time flies when you're crazy-out-of-your-mind busy you have a lot going on :-).  Here is what I've had going on.

Friday
Leave for work.  Work all day.  Get home, spend 5 minutes throwing pajamas and nighttime "stuff" into a backpack, and leave.  Arrive at sister-in-law's house around 5:30 p.m.  Spend the evening enjoying nephew and nieces, along with phone calls from spouse regarding the clutch going out AGAIN on his car.  Husband finally arrives at 8 p.m.  Reading and then wonderful sleep.

Saturday

My Snuggie :-)

Wake up.  Spend early morning cuddling waking up little girls, and getting cereal on the table.  Head for home at 8:30 a.m.  Arrive home.  Shower, start laundry, prepare for the day, final pickup around house.  Valentine gift from husband - SNUGGY!!!  Company arrives at 12:30 p.m.  Enjoy time of fellowship until 4:50 p.m.  Leave house at 5 p.m.  Evening spent with YACS college kids for a "Gingerbread House Building Competition."  Too much sugar consumed by husband :-).  Arrive home at 11:30 p.m.  (2 hours past our normal bedtime).

The winner of the Gingerbread Contest

Sunday
Church.  Friends arrive to spend lunch and afternoon.  Play Canasta and fellowship.  Friends leave at 4 p.m.  We leave at 4:15 p.m.  Take soda cans/bottles to Dahls.  More adoption money.  Church.  After church fellowship with YACS college kids.  Watch "Despicable Me."  Pick up friend's car for Nathan to borrow.  Arrive home at 11:15 p.m.  Go to bed.

Nathan and I with our new adoptive friends ~ Carmen & Garth.

Monday
Leave for work.  Valentine Party with students.  After school teacher meeting.  Arrive home at 5:45 p.m.  Stay home for the evening :-).

Tuesday
Leave for work.  After Care duty.  Arrive home at 6:25 p.m.  Make Oreo Salad.  Leave at 6:35 p.m.  Drop friend's car back at his apartment.  Drive to other friends' house.  Fellowship with pizza and silly kids.  Great conversation.  Arrive home at 10:30ish.  Go to bed :-).

Wednesday
Sleep in!!!!!!!!!!!  Wake up with headache.  Pick up Nathan's car from mechanic.  Start working on taxes.  Drive to hospital.  Check-in.  Wait.  Numbing, then "contrast" injected into hip joint.  Wheelchair ride with lots of people staring (probably not, but that's how it felt!!!).  MRI.  Tired.  Go home.  Sleep.  Headache still.  Soup.  Watch "Columbo."  Headache better. Finish taxes.  Read blogs :-).

43% of Referral Fees

Pam ~ I couldn't wait!!!  I updated our thermometer tonight, and we are now at 43% of the money we will need in order to accept a referral!!!  God is sooooooooo good!!!

Life is BUSY

Pam ~ Did you notice that I haven't been posting very much lately????  Things have been a little busy and blogging is one thing that I haven't been finding the time for.  Oh well.  I'm back now.  At least for today :-).

God is continually amazing us with His provision for our adoption.  We received a check in the mail this week from an extended family member on Nathan's mom's side.  I have met them once or maybe twice, but really don't know them.  They had heard about our adoption journey and wanted to send us something to help.  We just stood in our kitchen and said, "God, You are amazing.  Thank you!!!!"

We also had one family make a donation to our adoption through Lifesong, and Lifesong matched their donation!!!  I am soooooooooo excited to update our thermometer tomorrow!!!  It will make a good size leap this week!!!

(Just a reminder about Lifesong.  They will match ANY donation [up to $3,000] sent towards our adoption expenses.  Click HERE for more information.)

This last Saturday was filled with meeting our college kids (we are "leaders" of our church's college group) for lunch at Tasty Tacos, a home school supervising home visit in the afternoon (I supervise for three families), and a big fundraising banquet in the evening for the Christian school where I teach.  I was pretty much busy from the moment I got out of bed until we got home just before midnight.  Then it was up for Sunday School and church, an afternoon nap :-), and church nursery duty in the evening followed by a Super Bowl party with the college kids.  (Okay.  I'll be honest.  I didn't watch the game.  I played "Settlers of Catan" in a side room.)

I spent most of Monday morning in a spine specialist's office as he tried to figure out what is causing the leg pain I have been having since August.  I ended the apt. with x-rays being taken of my hip, and then headed to school to rescue relieve my associate teacher.  I left work early on Tuesday to go to the dentist for two small fillings (btw ~ "small fillings" does not =  less numbing) and spent the rest of the day trying not to talk very much.  Because the novocain always makes my stomach upset, my wonderful husband made me soup and RedBoxed the movie "Inception" for us to watch (good movie, btw).  I also found out on Tuesday that I have to have a "MRI with contrast" taken of my left hip next week.  I won't be allowed to drive for 24 hours following that (because of the ink they will be putting into my hip joint), so I will be taking TWO days off work.  I NEVER take two days off in a row!!!!  I"m not sure I'm going to be able to handle it!!!

This coming weekend is BUSY!!!!  Friday night, Nathan and I will be babysitting our nephew and 3 nieces all evening and overnight so their parents can get away for a night.  Then, we will rush home, get ready for the day, and hopefully be ready to fellowship with a fellow adoptive couple who are coming to our house for lunch and the afternoon.  Then Saturday evening is a "gingerbread house making competition" with our college kids.

I've rambled on long enough :-).  If you are still reading by now, maybe you'd better leave me a comment so I can see who my true bloggy friends are :-).

Oh yeah.  Last thing.  Between everything else going on, I'm working on final preparation for our soup supper & silent auction that is going to be on Saturday, February 19th.  It's going better than I had planned, and I'm looking forward to seeing how God works.  I think I will probably share some more information (again) on this fundraiser tomorrow for our "Fundraising Focus".

Finally.  I'm done.

Siblings ~ Then & Now

Pam ~ Because I'm home on a SNOW DAY from school, I'm being lazy and having a little fun :-).

Here are some THEN and NOW sibling photos :-).

THEN (Easter Sunday 1992)

Pam, Tim, Kristi, Debbi

 THEN (Fall of 1996)

Tim, Debbi, Kristi, Pam

NOW (May 2010)

Tim, Pam, Kristi, Debbi