"Why Not Foster Care?" and Other Questions We Hear

My husband and I have had months to analyze and digest our reasons for adopting from Uganda. We understand that our friends and family are only just learning of our plans and have some of the same questions we had when we first started this journey. Sometimes I have to be reminded that those in our life care deeply for our family and are expressing concerns and have normal questions.


I have a dear friend in my women's group at church. I call her my Voice of Reason. I think God sent her into my life so he could speak to me, sometimes slap me upside the head when needed, or othertimes gently whisper a word or two that will transform me in an instant back to a rational human being with a kind heart. She has seen me go on and on over something I imagined was a great offense to me; someone doing an injustice to me or having the gall to disagree with me. My Voice of Reason over there will put forth a couple of words...gently...almost like she's not talking about my bad behaviour of the moment but just commenting on the world at large. And there in front of me will be...Reason.


I tell you this because she had a couple of wonderful words for me this weekend while I was offended and rightly hurt and all justified and rambling on and on about something. She said simply, "Amy, not everybody is going to agree with you. And, that's okay....Really."


Yep, she's right. If you think about it, convincing 100% of the people I know of how great adopting from Uganda is going to be was a bit of lofty goal!


I thought I'd address some of the top concerns I've heard from folks.  Here are a few questions we've gotten along the way and how we feel regarding them....

What's a Cupcake Kid?

No doubt you've seen the great big

icon on the side bar.

You've thought to yourself, "I'd really like a cupcake right now...what is that over there?"

Cupcake Kids spun off from the children of the wonderful people at SixtyFeet. Their kids wanted to help the children of Africa as much as their parents did and they came up with the idea to sell some cupcakes on the corner. So far the movement has been a phenomenon across the US and has raised over $60,000 for orphan care.

Kids are naturally givers and philanthropists. I have wept over the big heart of my little girl, Kate, who raised close to $275 for her grandfather's ALS Benefit. How'd she do it?

First Fundraiser Underway

Our fundraiser, Project Puzzle, is underway! We received our FIRST donation from a dear friend in town. I should have known he would respond quicker than anyone else. Who else takes action immediately every single time my computer is infected with a virus...and actually fixes it. Who else had his Droid surgically implanted organized perfectly so it's always available? The very nanosecond our email went out about the fundraiser I got an almost instant message from Pay Pal notifying me of his donation. Thanks Friend!

We have also received donations from two great friends of mine. Thanks Girls! You are both dear to me.

Lastly, our big Kahuna came in with a whopping $1000 puzzle piece. The biggest challenge will be  finding the puzzle piece worthy of such a generous and wonderful donation. Should it be one of his sparkling eyes, or a part of what is sure to be a loving and generous heart, or should it be part of the hand that I will hold every day? Tricky, so many great choices.



I thought I should recap in case you haven't been to our fundraising page to see where all this money will go. $25K? What? Let me promise you one thing. The people involved in helping find forever families for orphans are not getting rich. Yes, I'm sure the world has it's share of swindlers out there, but when you see the breakdown of the costs involved, I think it makes better sense.

One thing you should know about our adoption. Todd and I are doing our adoption independently. That means we're doing the hard work of finding our own referral, we're putting all the paperwork together for Uganda and mailing it over ourselves, and we'll navigate the in country government requirements ourselves, as well. 

What does this mean to you, our donors? 
 

I Refuse

I Refuse, by Josh Wilson

I've heard this song many times but never listened to the lyrics until today. Many people ask us why we're adopting from Uganda. Josh Wilson's song pretty much sums it up for me. I put it on our playlist so you might be listening to it right now, then again, maybe not.

Sometimes I
I just want to close my eyes
And act like everyone's all right
When no, they're not
This world needs God
But it's easier to just stand and watch
I could say a prayer and just move on
Like nothing's wrong
But I refuse

Cause I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh I refuse to
Sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
Oh I could choose
Not to move
But I refuse

I can hear the least of these
Crying out so desperately
And I know we are the hands and feet
Of You, O God
So if you say move
It's time for me to follow through
And do what I was made to do
And show them who you are

Cause I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh I refuse to
Sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
Oh I could choose
Not to move
But I refuse

To stand and watch
The weary and lost
Cry out for Him
I refuse
To turn my back
And try and act like all is well
I refuse
To stay unchanged
To wait another day
To doubt myself
I refuse
To make one more excuse

Cause I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh I refuse to
Sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
Oh I could choose
Not to move
But I refuse
I refuse
I refuse
Yeah