Ethiopian Names

Now that our dossier has been submitted I'm concentrating my time with other things regarding our child/ren. So I've started rethinking names. For years I thought I knew what I would name my children but lately I'm really thinking that I want names that will reflect my child's culture. Below are the names I'm thinking of. Any thoughts?

Original Names: Payton Paige (Girl) and Brody Keith (Boy - Keith was my dad's middle name.)

New Considerations: 1-2 Girl Names and 3-7 Boy Names

1.) Amara - Amharic (Abyssinia) 'paradise' or 'eternally beautiful'
2.) Ayana - Oromia 'beautiful flower'

3.) Aman - Amharic 'peace'
4.) Amare - Amharic 'he looks good'
5.) Aron - Biblical 'Exalted'
6.) Finhas - Biblical 'Ethiopian King' 'an oracle'
7.) Kaleb/Caleb - Amharic/Tigrian Biblical 'the devoted one'

2 Year Old singing Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me"

One of my fb friends posted this on her page recently. Too cute not to share.


2 Year Old singing Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me"

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Woke this morning to fresh snow on the ground. Today was the first snow of the season. Our dog, Kya, loves it! I still prefer the heat but it is beautiful. I only have a few more things to do before I'm completely ready for the holiday's. Hope you're almost ready too! 

Letter from Jesus about Christmas

Hope you enjoy this. A friend of mine sent this to me a couple weeks ago and I thought it was worthy of sharing. 

Letter from Jesus about Christmas --

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. 

Now, having said that, let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if  you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15:1-8. 

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth, here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1.) Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time. 

2.) Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them. 

3.) Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up...It will be nice hearing from you again.

4.) Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them. 

5.) Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6.) Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference. 

7.) Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families. 

8.) If you really want to make a difference support a missionary -- especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name. 

9.) Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you. 

10.) Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine. 

Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember: 

I LOVE YOU, 

Jesus

  

Grateful

Had a great time with family over Thanksgiving. I am so thankful we were able to come home this year. It's been a while since Cory and I were able to. It certainly isn't the same without my Dad and other loved ones we've lost but we are so grateful to have had quality time with each of them. We are a very blessed family. Over the years I've come to realize just how blessed. 

National Adoption Day

November is National Adoption Month and today is the official National Adoption Day! Until last month, I had no idea this day existed. Thank you Jennifer C.! I am so blessed to have been placed in contact with so many wonderful families that share our experience with adopting through Ethiopia. I have learned so much and I am so inspired by the journey's you have taken. Thank you all so much! It is an honor to share in the celebration of this day! 

Sad Goodbye

Today has been a rough day for our family. My Uncle Gary past away early this morning due to complications with his gallbladder surgery. It's so hard to say goodbye to loved ones, especially when you feel it's too soon. He was such a good person and we will miss him and all his stories. He had some good ones. He was so fun!

Please be praying for Darlene, Amy, Brian and Bobbie Joe. This is a very difficult time for all the family but especially for them. You never get over or stop missing a husband or father. Cards are encouraged. You will never know what a comfort it is to have someone acknowledge your pain. The hardest part will be after the funeral is over and everyone seems to go back to their normal lives. Even though you know you aren't, you feel forgotten and sometimes even avoided. Please show your support and pray for them during this hard time. I'm sure Gary is up in heaven celebrating with my dad, grandma, grandpa and other loved ones right now but he will certainly be missed until we join them.

Happy Halloween!

Hope everyone had a happy and safe Halloween this year. Sorry, I don't have any fun pics to share. We skipped the costumes because we ran out of time. Maybe we'll make up for it next year. We'll see! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Inspirational Quote

We witness a miracle every time a child enters into life. But those who make their journey home across time and miles, growing within the hearts of those who wait to love them, are carried on the wings of destiny and placed among us by God's very own hands.

-Kristi Larson

13 Years

Yesterday marked 13 years of blissful marriage. It's amazing how fast the time has gone. I am so lucky to share my life with someone like Cory. It seems impossible but I love him more and more every day.  I'm truly blessed! 

All the Single Babies.....Wuh Uh Oh Uh Uh Oh

Attached is a hilarious video a friend sent to me. Too funny not to share with everyone. 

All the Single Babies

Home Study Officially Approved

We've finally made it through the home study. I probably worried about the home study visit the most but it turns out that was the easiest part. The paperwork is tough but it is sooo worth it! Now, we move on to our dossier. This should not be nearly as time consuming because I did a lot of the same docs during the home study process. I'm praying we won't have to wait long but, in the meantime, I'll be spending as much quality time with my husband as I can. I'm sure the house will get quite busy with a new addition so I'm going to take advantage of this time and enjoy every moment. 

Needing Some Positive Energy

Wow, I'm not sure how many of you are also on facebook but it has been sucking the life out of me lately. The controversial and negative posts showing up on my home page is getting a bit much. I'm seriously ready to start hiding or possibly just deleting a couple people. UGH...the things people post just to attract others to their page is amazing. What happened to using it to reconnect with old friends and catching up? 

New Blog "Mended Wings"

I've added a new blog to my favorites list. It's an incredibly touching blog. This blog is about a kid that was from a neighboring town where I grew up. It was created by his mother. East Brady is the town for those of you that know the area. He was a friend of Matthew's (my nephew) from what I understand but I've never met him myself. He was in the military and was severely injured in Afghanistan.  This blog was created to document the progress he is making. Please be praying for this family. It is already a miracle he survived his injuries. 

Warning: If you decide to visit this blog, some of the pictures are graphic but it does illustrate the amazing progress he has made.  

Quote from Earl Nightingale

"Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it, the time will pass anyway, we might as well put that passing time to the best possible use."

- Earl Nightingale

Light at the End of the Tunnel

I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I've been buried in adoption paperwork for weeks now. There's still a lot to do but thank goodness it's getting easier. Praise the Lord! He is so good! 

Thought for another week

"What is my dream of God's purpose? His purpose is that I depend on Him and on His power now. If I can stay in the middle of the turmoil calm and unperplexed, that is the end of the purpose of God. God is not working toward a particular finish; His end is the process--that I see Him walking on the waves, no shore in sight, no success, no goal, just the absolute certainty that it is all right because I see Him walking on the sea. It is the process, not the end, which is glorifying to God...God's end is to enable me to see that He can walk on the chaos of my life just now. If we have a further end in view, we do not pay sufficient attention to the immediate present: if we realize that obedience is the end, then each moment as it comes is precious." 

--Oswald Chambers

Home Study Visit

We are on our way! Home study visit was yesterday and it seemed to go well. I'm not sure if I've ever been that nervous. Cory thinks I'm silly for worrying about it at all but I couldn't help myself. My shirt felt soaking wet by the time she was ready to leave. Evidently, I talk A LOT and sweat when I'm nervous. haha Cory said that he hasn't seen me sweat that much during a workout. Whew...I felt like that was a workout. :) Not really, she was very sweet and easy to talk to. It was just the fear of the unknown, I guess. She barely looked around the house. They said it would be like that but I guess I still expected the white glove to some degree. I shampooed my carpets 3 times in 2 days. Nervous energy! Well, at least my house is as clean as a hospital at the moment. Feels nice!  

Our 1st Home Study Meeting

Wow, we are really starting to move on the adoption front right now. It's a little overwhelming but it's amazing. We met with our Home Study agency (Adoption Support Center, in Broad Ripple) this morning and took care of the genealogy info they needed for the report as well as some initial paperwork. They where great! Our next appointment will be the actual home study and it is scheduled for July 21. I'm a little bummed that our new carpet and furniture won't be here in time for the home study but I'm glad that everything seems to be moving along quickly. Well, at least it is for now. It's sort of a hurry up and wait situation with adoption. Please keep us in your prayers. The next few months will be a bit of a roller coaster ride. 

Family Time

I am sooooo looking forward to some time with my fam. Mom, Jen, Maddison and Austin will be here later tonight. Barry, Michelle and Michaela got in yesterday. Barry and Michelle are spending the week at Anderson Camp Meeting and everyone else will be at my place. Woo Hoo!!! It's going to be a fun week of swimming, boating, spray parks, museums and the zoo. Can't wait! 

Sorry it's been so long!

Sorry I haven't been very good at updating this lately! Life has been a blur the last few months. Between our adoption stuff, remodeling our house, trips to Florida and shopping for new furniture I haven't had much down time. I have a feeling this is only the beginning too so I better get used to it. :)

No new news to report on the adoption front yet. Everything takes so long. It's a full time job getting everything we need together. It's a very rewarding job though. This will be the best delayed gratification we will ever experience! Can't wait to meet our little angel! 12- 16 months is just tooooooo long! 

Circumstance Does Not Define Happiness

I have learned so much since Cory and I have been researching adoption. Especially since we have placed our focus on Ethiopia. I have come across so many wonderful sites. I've actually listed a new website to my favorites list to the right. It's a blog for Children's Hope International. They have several favorites on their list that are amazing also. One of the posts was "I Need Africa More Than Africa Needs Me". What an amazing post! It makes you seen things differently. When most think of Africa, they think about starvation, aids, child soldiers, genocide, sex slaves and orphans. Thoughts naturally turn to "how can I help and make a difference". They have so little and we have so much. It's true, there are many tragedies playing out in Africa everyday. However, this post talks about how we shouldn't buy into the lie that circumstance defines happiness. The person who wrote the post talks about finding the truth. The truth is, in Africa she found hearts full of victory, indomitable spirits. In a place where despair should thrive, she found adults dancing and singing, children playing soccer with a ball crafted of tied up trash. Instead of payback, she found grace. Her new reality...she says, I now know that my joy should have no regard for my circumstance. What a powerful statement! 

She's not saying that Africa does not need our efforts. They absolutely need our partnership. But, she says she now understands that she needed Africa more the Africa needed her. Possessions in our hands will never be as valuable as peace in our hearts.

Adoption - Finally moving forward!

Hmmm...I guess it's been a while since I've posted something. It's been a little crazy lately. Anyway, GREAT NEWS, we are finally moving forward with our plans to adopt. We will be signing with Children's Hope International hopefully by next week. We've been waiting for this for so long. I was starting to think it would never happen. I've been patient but only because I had no other choice. Patience is painful! One thing is for sure though, I will never take this child for granted. We will be forever grateful to the birth parents who will selflessly give our child a better life. It will be a long process but I will try to keep you all appropriately updated during the next 12-16 months.  Please keep us in your prayers. This is going to be an incredible journey. 

Great EMHE pics!

Click on this link to see some updated pics of the Extreme Home. Interior pics are being taken today. The episode will air May 17th. I can't wait! The McFarland's experienced the big reveal yesterday. They said his reaction was priceless. You'll have to watch and see. 

http:/jamiesangarblog.com/

You may need to cut and paste this link into your browser. Enjoy! 

Extreme Makeover Home Edition

I am so excited for the McFarland family and my Estridge friends. What an amazing opportunity to be a part of Extreme Makeover Home Edition! I'm not sure when it will actually air but if my sources are correct I think it might be the last episode in May. You can find updates on www.estridge.com. This link is just to the right if you want to check it out now. They have some cool pics to check out and a profile of the family. I am so bummed that I wasn't able to help out. My untimely ankle injury prevented me from being able to volunteer. Oh well, they had plenty of volunteers anyway. I can't wait to see my friends on tv. Even more, I can't wait to see the reaction of this family. Very exciting! 

Sweet Miya

Updated pics of Miya w/ Grammy and Grandpa. She is so adorable! 

Florida Excitement

Well, I'm back from an exciting trip to Florida. Mike wanted to go down for bike week so I decided to tag along so I could see Miya and the rest of the family. I'll post some pics from bike week later. Mike has them on his laptop. We had the best time people watching on Saturday. There were some interesting sights. We tried to go Friday but I had a clumsy moment and had to make a trip to the ER instead. I'm fine but not very graceful. We thought it was broken but it's just a sprained ankle. While in the ER, it was quite entertaining. The woman across from us was no doubt on something. She confessed to 2 beers and 8 shots but didn't mention any drugs. They were testing her for it anyway and someone on the staff commented that they were already sure of the results. This was all before 4:00pm. She came in because her boyfriend beat her up. It was like watching an episode of Cops. She was crazy!!! I felt so bad for the doctor. She is evidently a regular. She was refusing treatment and stealing wheelchairs from other people saying she was going home. She must have been paralyzed from the thigh down because she was crawling around everywhere but had no control of the bottom half of her legs. She was smearing blood from her knees everywhere. It was so gross but we couldn't stop laughing. Carol, Melissa and Miya were with me. Two cops eventually escorted her out of the ER. We saw her again, along with the officers, as we were leaving though. She was far enough away from me and one of the officers so I started laughing again as I waited for the car to come around. She was so erratic. The officer noticed me trying not to laugh and he ended up laughing along with me. He said he never has a boring day. I didn't doubt it.  

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hopefully all of you are able to spend some quality time with your sweethearts today. It's a great time to remember all the things we appreciate about them. Below is a short list of things that make me smile when I think of my husband. 

• His smile...I love that it's just a little bit crooked. It's like a cute little smirk. Very sexy! I wish he'd show it in pictures more. 
• I love that he genuinely appreciates me. He always makes me feel beautiful, even when I know I could look better.
• I love how important family is to him. Family is everything! Nothing else matters without it.
• His generous heart...He enjoys helping people down on their luck but doesn't want praise for it. He would prefer they never knew it was him at all. 
• He's smart...I love listening to his perspective on things.
• His humor...He's always making up jokes and they're actually really funny. I'm not just saying that because he's my husband. We both enjoy sarcasm. lol
• He's passionate...He stands up for what he believes in, even when it's against the grain. I admire and respect him for that. 
• He's protective...He will do whatever he needs to do to protect his family. He'll be a wonderful dad someday.
• He's always happy to see me when he gets home. Especially lately! hehe
• And, even though I could go on and on, I love that he longs for a child as much as I do but is very level headed about the process. He keeps us both grounded.

I love him, always and forever!

Renewed love of reading

Does anyone have any good books they can recommend? I don't know what got into me but I have a renewed love for reading lately. It's probably because I actually have the time to do it now without neglecting other things I want to do. I've already read all of the Twilight books. Of course, I liked them enough to read them all over again. I especially liked the last two books, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. If some of you haven't read these books yet, I definitely recommend them. The Left Behind series is good too. Anyway, I'd appreciate any good suggestions. Thanks! 

Kyla, Autumn and Maddison

Here is a more updated picture of Kyla and Autumn. This picture was at Maddy and Autumn's birthday party at Chucky Cheese this past August. It's hard to believe that Maddison and little Autumn are the same age. They're only 2 days apart. Kyla, the one in the middle, is about year older. Maddison loves these girls! 

Thoughtful Friend

I am so grateful to have such thoughtful friends. It almost makes me feel guilty because I'm not sure I would even think to do some of the thoughtful things some of them have. Jess called me the other day and invited me to go along with her to her sonogram appointment. She is almost 31 weeks pregnant now and she thought I might want to see what it was like since it is an experience I won't have with adoption. She's been here with me through all the up and down emotions I've had during my fertility treatments so she knew the things I mourned. I wasn't sure how I felt about it at first. I warned her that I wasn't sure what my reaction might be. I wanted to be excited and happy but I was terrified that I'd just start crying remembering my last sonogram. It was actually quite exciting to see. They used the new 4D technology and it was amazing how clear everything was. You could see every feature. He or maybe she has her daddy's feet. They are keeping the sex of the baby a surprise so we just had pictures of the babies face, hands and feet. I was so relieved that it wasn't painful. It was a great experience that I'm glad she shared with me. This is actually baby number 4 for Bill and Jess. Their kids are beautiful! Attached is a picture of them with the first two, Kyla and Autumn. That pic is a few years old now so the girls are a bit older than they are in this picture. The second pic is of Delaney. She is the youngest. I took this pic of her at the Indianapolis Children's Museum this past fall. She's the cutest little crab!  

Home Decor Projects

Well, I'm at it again. Another remodeling/home decor project! This seems to be never ending for me. I'm having too much fun changing everything. This house is going to look completely different by the time I'm through. I get too bored looking at the same thing all the time. I'm working on the 1/2 BA downstairs right now and then I'll move on to the guest BA. I'm on the hunt for new furniture too. Ugh...that can be frustrating. Cory and I have such different taste when it comes to home furnishings. The only thing we agree on, so far, is that we want leather. Leather works so much better with the dog. We are still undecided on whether we should move or not. Cory would love to move out in the country so he could have his toys at the house instead of in a storage garage 10 minutes away. I would love a big beautiful new home too but it won't be long before this home is paid for. Can you say FREEDOM! Cory likes the idea of the freedom also so I guess we'll wait and see what happens. 

Cory's Humorous Version

Cory was finally able to go to church with me this Sunday. He usually works because he likes the overtime so much. He's such a workaholic! Anyway, we had the best time together. They continued on with the "She said, He said" series and this was the week all of the kids needed to make sure they were in their appropriate kids class. Unless they were at an age where the parents had already had "The Talk" with them. It was a very interesting and entertaining PG13 view of Song of Songs. The verses were considered erotic for those times and it was hard to not laugh. Some of the scripture read like this:

How beautiful your sandaled feet, O prince's daughter! Your graceful legs are like jewels, the work of a craftsman's hands. Your navel is a round goblet that never lacks blended wine. Your waist is a mound of wheat encircled by lilies. Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of gazelle. 

Song of Songs 7:1-3

Like I said, it was hard not to laugh. The pastor even made a statement of how some of us will feel guilty laughing at something in the bible. This got Cory started for the day. He said that he thought he would try some of these lines on me. This was his version:

How beautiful  your club feet, O farmer's daughter! Your legs are like tree stumps. Your belly like jelly that never stops giggling. Your breast like twin bowls of jello. Your hips like Yogi Bear. 

He had me laughing so hard I could barely breathe. He was having a lot of fun with it.  He's usually very complimentary of me so it was fun listening to his dramatic descriptions. I feel very lucky to have a husband that appreciates me and shows me often. I'm glad he has a great sense of humor too. lol 

Presidential Prayer

A friend of mine posted this on FB earlier. I thought it was really good so I wanted to share it with you. 

May we always have a President who is a man after Your own heart. May integrity and uprightness protect him because his hope is in You. Help him to live a blameless life, to trust You without wavering. 

She Said, He Said

Last Sunday, Grace Church had a sermon that really made me think. It's actually part of a 4 part series that started the week before on the Song of Songs. It's titled "She Said, He Said". It covers a subject that I haven't heard in many church's but seems vital for everyone to hear. Our pastor said if he could summarize the importance of it he'd say it this way:

Healthy sexuality, love and fidelity in relationships are as much on the mind of God as prayer, justice, mercy, and spiritual growth. 

This sermon had some wonderful insights for married couples, those going through divorce, those who have been widowed, and singles. I'd like to encourage you to visit the Grace Church website to see the entire sermon. You can listen to a podcast from the site or just read it if you prefer. The website is on my list of favorite sites just to the left if you want to check it out. I hope you will. 

Boot Camp!

Have any of you ever been to a workout boot camp? One word.....OUCH!!!!!! I went with a friend on Monday and last night was the first night I could move without crying about it. I had plans to go back Wednesday night but I could barely walk let alone workout like that again. I could have gone back last night but chose to spend the evening with my husband instead. Monday is the next class. I am there for sure this time but I hope it won't be as painful. Pain means progress though, right? 

A River Story

Click on the title "A River Story" below to see some cool scenes from where we grew up. There is a great view of the river that looks just like some of the views from Uncle Paul's new place on the farm and Aunt Sheila's place. Aunt Sheila's is on the market so whoever buys it will have beautiful views like some of these to enjoy. Hmmm...this may make me just a little home sick.

A River Story

Happy New Year!

Wow, I can't believe it's 2009! Where did the time go? We have all had many blessing over the years. I pray everyone can look back and appreciate all of the people and situations that helped shape who we are today. 

Wishing everyone a Happy & Prosperous 2009!