I made a final shopping list and packing list. Tomorrow is shopping day rain or shine.
All the nifty baby supplies at my house have to stay at my house because my babies will still be there. It will be good to have a back up pack of all our stuff for when we get home.
I've packed clothing and a few supplies but Saturday is get-down-to-business day! We will be in China for 17 days and I've got to get busy!
I'm praying the Lord will guide my thoughts and direct my heart these next few days to draw especially close to my kids in these days before we leave. I made this (so not Pinterest-worthy) paper chain with the dates we will be gone and daily scriptures for my kids. They can tear off one link each day until we are home.
Our fabulous homeschool mom's group "Mom's Rest Stop" had a shower for me today. The décor was so sweet and really, really, REALLY made me ready to go get these babies!!! Isaac and Isabella are coming home. ISAAC AND ISABELLA ARE COMING HOME!
Another group of friends is having a shower on Sunday for us... (I know, I have the BEST friends, EVER!) If you would like to come and did not get an invite, please, please message Fiona or message me and get her info I'd LOVE to see you there before we go!
Please pray for God to prepare the hearts of our children. Pray for God to be glorified through this whole trip. Pray for our light to shine and His will to be done. Pray for our other children at home and my Dad as he leads this crew in our absence.
Thank you to all who have come along side of us. We are so blessed to have The Church all around us!
When we got the email I started laughing, then crying, then sobbing.
Earlier this week I was so down. On Good Friday I started missing my mom something fierce. I've cried and prayed and talked to her all week. A few days ago we put up a hummingbird feeder, one of Mom's favorite things. My mom loved hummingbirds and cardinals, red birds she called them. One morning a "red bird" landed on the hook and sat there for the longest time. It was like God was reminding me that He hasn't forgotten me.
So after the Travel Approval was granted, the Consulate appointment was set and it was time to buy plane tickets!
Yesterday they were purchased along with a few other plans made.
If you'd like to follow along on our journey an outline of our itinerary is below.
My Dad comes to Houston 4/19 to stay with the kids. Doug and I leave Houston 4/22 and travel to Beijing where we will meet up with our group and tour the city. On 4/26 we leave Beijing and head to Zhengzhou in the Henan Province where we will meet up with our children on Monday 4/27. We will be in the province that week until we travel to Guangzhou for our Consulate appointment on 5/7. At that appointment our adoption will be final. We will leave Guangzhou for Hong Kong on 5/8 and then on 5/9 we will tour Hong Kong Disney. Finally on Mother's Day 5/10 we will do a little time travel and leave Asia at 5:25am and arrive home 14 hours later at 9:20am.
Here's a map of China if you want to follow along. (Beijing, Zhengzhou, and Guangzhou are pretty much in a line from North to South)
China is 14 hours ahead of CST. So pretty much if we are awake, ya'll are sleeping and vice versa! We will try to be available on Facetime or WeChat. We will be updating our family and hopefully they can keep ya'll updated throughout our trip.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! for all who are praying... we still need it! We still have some in-country plans to make and we need to pack! Wow... my head is spinning! Thank you for joining us on our journey!
Well, this Adoption Journey has been a journey of faith and hope.
Back in October we applied for a grant from Lifesong and did not hear back... until now!
A friend put us in contact with someone who works with Lifesong and they were able to secure a
MATCHING GRANT!
That means that your gift will be doubled up to $2500!
So if you've held off giving because your gift is too small, guess what?! It now will be doubled!
$5.00 = $10.00
$10.00 = $20.00
$50.00 = $100.00!
I love the way this works :-)
Double!
ISAAC JUDAH
Twice as much for TWO cuties!! Two times the blessing!
ISABELLA PROMISE
To pay online go to www.lifesongfororphans.org/give/donate. Select “Give to an Adoptive Family.” Complete the online form and fill in “Family Account Number” (Audirsch 4941) and “Family Name” (Audirsch) fields. Note PayPal charges an administrative fee (2.9% + $.30 USD per transaction). Your donation will be decreased by the amount of this fee.
Checks should be payable to “Lifesong for Orphans. In the memo, note “family name” and “family account number” (Audirsch/#4941) to assure it goes to the correct account. Please mail to Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 40, Gridley, IL 61744. Lifesong has been blessed with a partner that underwrites all U.S. administrative and fundraising costs (TMG Foundation and other partners). That means 100% of your donation will go directly to the adoption.
NOTE: In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to the named non-profit organization. This organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use. o Individual donations $50 or more and yearly donations totaling $250 or more will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Receipts for donations under $50 will gladly be sent upon request. Lifesong is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization.
Here’s the news you’ve long been waiting for—your dossier was sent to China today (12/12/2014)! J
After months and months of mailing documents hither and yon, waiting on signatures, paying fee upon fee, we finally completed our paper chase. Our agency translated it and as we speak it's being hand-carried to the CCCWA in China. Within three to five days we should receive notification that our dossier was delivered, then three to five weeks after that we will have our official Log-In Date. We are still hoping to travel in the spring.
There are two babies who will not grow up in institutions, who will know the love of a family, who will have a Daddy and Mommy, brothers and sisters. And that makes my heart exceedingly glad.
For all of you who helped us with our expenses and work thus far, we extend a huge
THANK YOU!!!
If you wanted to help, but have not done so you can give to a 501c3 AdoptTogether, Paypal me at my email, or simply mail a check.
Oh ya'll... my dogs are barkin' and my heart is full! Today was FILLED to the brim with fellowship, friends, fun, and WORK!
We moved in to our new house, sort of...
When you're doing something with the Audirsches you KNOW it's going to be an adventure. Well, due to unforeseen circumstances, we ended up without power in our new house until Monday. So although the house was air-conditioned in the morning, the power was turned off about 10am. We worked for the remainder of the hot, humid, Houston day without A/C or fans.
I have the most amazing friends in the world... seriously. First off, none of them left when they found out there was no A/C!
Secondly, My kitchen is UNPACKED and ready to be used. Amazingly, my friend Jen Johnson and her daughter Joy washed every dish that was wrapped in newspaper (and that was almost everything) and found a LOGICAL home for it in my cupboard or pantry. She was the brains in the kitchen and kept us going.
My friends Kristen Coovrey, Michelle, Mandy, and Meg Bosquez, unloaded box after box.
We had an ARMY of help! Travis called his airsoft buddies last week and I'm proud to say
Greg and Adam Carman, David Salisbury and Jake Fontz, showed up to do the heavy lifting and lift they did! Thanks Guys!
And Hannah asked her friend Olivia Salisbury who also came and was a BIG help!
Michael Rivera and Jason Bosquez were the Tetris Packers Extraordinaire helping put everything on the trailer from the storage unit to go to the house.
Ken, Claudia and Natalie Hope loaded their car up multiple times and even drove one of our vehicles for us loaded up with more stuff.
My friend Kelly Sakal, loaned us her sixteen year old son, Bryce for the day.
Tonight, we have a full on turkey dinner with all the trimmings prepared by my dear friend Anne Trapani, And I have a bottle of yummy wine from my friend (whose identity I'll protect, see sistah, I gotcher back!)
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! to all of you who helped!
Earlier this week we moved our beloved RV from it's spot at the Rock'n E RV park in Cold Spring where we have stayed for the last five months to a storage facility less than one mile from our new house in Kingwood.
If you talked to us when we first arrived back in Houston we would have told you we were looking for a house very different from the one we ended up buying. I keep telling people this house is like BATMAN! "It's not the hero we want, but it's the hero we need." And it really is a beautiful house!
Trusting that God knows our needs better than we do, we know God has been with us each step of the way and although His direction for us may not be clear our hearts are turned toward Him desiring His glory in our lives, in our journey as individuals and as a family.
So as we bring to a close our epic 10,000 mile, sixteen month, 22 state, 'round the USA adventure which has included amazing sights of God's creation, fantastic experiences of natural and man-made wonders, and pain and joy and despair and hope we look to the author and finisher of our faith for the next chapter.
He is writing our story and we are so blessed to have you be part of it.
In the next year, if the Lord wills, our family will expand by one Chinese daughter which really is the focus of the next few months. Well, that and moving into a new house and getting nine kids back to homeschool and routine.
We are so blessed that you have come along for the ride and we hope that you will stay with us as we journey together into the coming year.
Currently, "Not Yes" seems to be an answer we are getting frequently.
Our first "Not Yes" was in Washington while we were in the car with the real estate agent driving away from the property on which we were about to make an offer. Doug's phone and my phone rang at the same time. On my line was our Houston real estate agent informing us that the sale on our house had fallen through and on Doug's line was his boss back pedaling, insisting he come back to Houston in January after he had, on a previous call, told him he was sure it would be "no big deal" if we relocated to Washington.
We've had many "Not Yeses" since then.
The Legends House, perfect square footage, good location, and an IRS lien.
A very nice rental in a desirable neighborhood... not available until July.
A five bedroom, three bedroom, 4000 square foot house, in our price range... doesn't allow children, desires a retired couple. (Who does that?!)
House after house after house with offers made just before we arrived, sellers deciding not to sell, and so many other circumstances that prevented us from acquiring the house.
I have been praying for a home to just settle in.
And I feel like God is truly challenging me with this:
This world is not my home. I am not SUPPOSED TO feel settled here! Like a soldier on the battlefield I can have "base" but my "base" is not my home.
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 3:20
And this, so this. Philippians 4:12-13
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
We are still currently looking for a home to rent or buy if it's right. But are content to wait on the LORD. (OK, maybe content is a bit of a faith filled statement, but we are trying)
(Here's our specs in case you're wondering 5 bdrm, 3 bath, 3500sq ft minimum, with room for kids to play outside $350K or less or $2500/month)
And we are not sure if this is a NOT YES or not...
We now have more opportunity to trust the Lord since Doug's company was sold a few weeks ago and he gets to present his department to the bosses of the new company, "So they can know all that they will need to know." Nice. We've been down this road before and despite reassurances, we don't feel very reassured.
It's nice to sing this song, it's another thing entirely to live it.
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior
I will call upon Your Name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine
My husband assured me today that God hasn't forgotten us. I burst into tears. Truly, I did. He then relayed a conversation that he had this morning that is so GOD. No one will ever convince me it's a coincidence.
Doug had filled out a prayer request and took it to the little box on the wall, there was a guy standing there. This conversation ensued:
Doug: "Are you a prayer guy?"
Usher: "No, I'm an usher" Pause... "But I can pray, I guess."
Doug: "Well, I'm a training manager and my company was just bought out by a larger company and my job is a little uncertain right now"
Usher: Chuckling, "Well, now I know why God sent you to me. You see, I'm a trainer. A few weeks ago, my company was bought out and my job was uncertain. I ended up getting offered another position in the new company."
WHAT?! THE NOT-A-PRAYER-GUY STANDING AT THE EXACT SPOT MY (never-fills-out prayer-requests) HUSBAND WALKED TO!
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6
P.S.I had literally just finished writing this post and handing it to my husband to proofread for me when my six year old Sarah started shouting, "COME OUTSIDE AND SEE THE RAINBOW!" over and over. We all went and were inspired by the sign of God's promise. Truly, He has not forgotten us.
It seems like last week that we started this homeschool journey. I was convinced I was going to ruin my Emily. I remember so clearly the day Doug brought her home from Kindergarten, she was crying again. He matter-of-factly told me, "I unenrolled her from school. We are going to homeschool." Now, we had talked about homeschooling someday, when life was normal. (At that point I still expected life to get "normal") Panicked, I stammered, but, but, but... I'm pregnant, we are living with your parents, I, I, I can't do this now. Doug looked at me, smiled and said, "Stacy, it's Kindergarten, shapes, numbers, letters, colors. I'm pretty sure you know the material." And so began our homeschool journey.
Now here she is all grown up, mostly.
I'm happy to say she knows all her shapes and colors, letters and numbers.
She graduated. SHE DID IT!
This whole homeschool Mom package comes with all sorts of crazy emotions on Graduation Day. Not only am I incredibly proud of my daughter, I'm also incredibly proud of me.
I DID IT!
I successfully homeschooled a child for her entire school career. She has written a novel and continues to love and pursue writing. She has accumulated dozens of college credits while finishing high school. She reads everything and thinks deeply.
And then there's the part of me that is far less confident. Did I do enough? Did I teach her all she needs to know? What did I miss? And why couldn't I help her not struggle with math?
I am so thankful for GRACE! And for a God who fills in the gaps. And the sweet fruit that has grown from the seeds of perseverance, peace, hope, and love.
Most importantly, she loves. She loves Jesus. She loves her parents. She loves her siblings. She loves others. Seeing her grow in her relationships is the most important and rewarding part of this journey. When I see those relationships growing I am exceedingly thankful and proud.
Emily has so many gifts and talents I cannot wait to see how God uses them. She is a gift and a blessing to us. I love our chats, our coffee dates, our shopping sprees, and the time we have to spend together.
Spread your wings and fly, Girlie. Good things are in store!
We are living in such a strange place right now. We have a circle of people who love us asking frequently, "So, what's the plan now? And are you glad to be back? And what's next, where are you going to live."
I've jokingly said, I guess God wants us to be flaky!
But it is not a natural or easy place to walk. While we are doing well and loving each other it does feel like we are in a waiting room.
You know that feeling? You know you will be called... Eventually. You know you will get to speak with the right people and get the information you need... Eventually. And so you wait.
We could leave. There's not a lack of resources, time, money, or ideas. BUT GOD has told us to wait. I mean really, He even sent me a voicemail from Heaven a few weeks ago!
Apparently I needed a reminder again today after calling several campgrounds experiencing rejection after rejection due to our family size. (P.S. We never had this much trouble in any other part of the country, we are really thrown by it here, if you can't tell).
While geocaching today, in the very first cache, the finders directly before us wrote these two scriptures on the log. They are both scriptures my mother quoted frequently.
Isaiah 30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Now check this out! God is AMAZING.
STACY, GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEAD!
Isaiah 40:31 but they who WAIT for the Lord shall renew their strength;they shall mount up with wings like eagles;they shall run and not be weary;they shall walk and not faint.
Years ago Doug and I were in a small group weeknight bible study. Every week we shared our heart and our struggles as did others. At the time Doug was unemployed and we felt like the perpetual "needy ones". I remember one night when we decided not to share our struggle, put on a stiff upper lip, and just worship and listen to the study, then leave. After worship, with a worship leader who genuinely loved The Lord and loved people, they asked for prayer requests. Doug and I sat there with our pasted on smiles waiting for the moment to pass so we could move on. The worship leader's wife caught my eye and I quickly looked down. At that point she spoke up with compassion and tears in her eyes "Guys, we need to pray for Doug and Stacy. Can't you all see how much pain they're in and how they're trying to just be strong? The bible says to ask and keep on asking and so let's do that." She reminded us that in our weakness He is strong.
Months later in that same group the couple that were the "leaders" spoke up with a Praise report. Sharing that he had struggled for months and months with an issue with work to the point that he thought he would lose his job, he was relieved that it was all resolved now.
What a ripoff. He never once invited anyone in. He wanted to be the strong one with all the answers. Honestly, it was pride. Shortly after that the worship leaders moved away and the group disintegrated. I realize there is value in choosing what to share with whom, however if you want true community, you have to be vulnerable and then let God deal with everyone's opinion.
This situation is one we have pondered many times over the years. It's what prompted us to share about feeling called to move to Washington and the subsequent decision to leave because of work and weather.
We need each other. And let's be honest, we are all needy. Whether it's health or finances, secret sin or just tough life circumstances we are people in need of a savior journeying toward our eternal home where every need will be fulfilled. Let's not hide from each other. Be real.
It's been a number of years since I experienced a real autumn. Since we are in the beautiful Pacific Northwest we got a chance to play in the leaves and experience the glorious reds, yellows, oranges, and purples of Fall.
My kids are loving it! They are making Leaf Angels!
And burying the babies in leaves...
And throwing leaves on each other...
... And on themselves!
Sharing these fun fall activities with my kids is just the best.
Many of you know that although I claim Texas as home now, I didn't grow up there. I grew up in Everett, Washington where I went to Mukilteo Beach frequently. The water was cold, the air was salty, and the rocky beach was my playground. As I got older, sunbathing was preferable to swimming, but only a few days were warm and sunny enough for that. When Doug and I were first married and lived in Washington, going to Mukilteo beach for a rare sunny afternoon picnic or an evening stroll during sunset was a cheap and most enjoyable date. Sharing this special place with our kids is something I eagerly anticipated.
Forewarning my children that this was not like other beaches we have experienced, we would not be swimming, and it was rocky rather than sandy, I encouraged them to consider this outing as a rocky hike beside the water.
I was afraid they were going to be disappointed because to them, the point of going to the beach is to swim. However, they did a great job of adjusting their expectations and what a spectacular time we enjoyed.
As I watched my kids marvel at clams spitting, salmon jumping, seals swimming, feathers falling, gulls flying, ferries sailing, and crabs scurrying I felt so full in my heart. Not to mention I overflowed with gratefulness for the amazing Marine Biology exhibition we experienced! This is what learning should be!
My Hannah embraced the opportunity to show the beach to her baby brother carrying and bouncing him along the rocky shore.
Since we were there at low tide, the water was out exposing all kinds of marine life. Travis loved the tide pools and the marine life we observed, showing his findings to his little sisters with delight.
While Travis attempted to rescue a starfish,
Caleb rescued a ROCK!
Some us thought the beach was cold...
And smelly!
But they did enjoy jumping from log to log just like me so many years ago. We would try to walk as far down the beach as we could on the logs and drift wood without stepping on the ground.
I so enjoyed showing the kids The Lighthouse which was built in 1905 and used an oil lamp until the 1930s when it was converted to electricity. The flashing pattern three seconds off, two seconds on is unique, like a fingerprint, for the Mukilteo lighthouse.
A kind woman offered to take our group picture, you'll notice Doug and Emily are missing. They were working yesterday.
So we made a special trip down to the beach this morning just the three of us , after a stop at Big Foot Java for lattes.
I just love the fact that I was able to share this place with my kids so many years later. It will be one of the fondest memories of this Great Adventure, I'm sure.
All the nifty baby supplies at my house have to stay at my house because my babies will still be there. It will be good to have a back up pack of all our stuff for when we get home.
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