bitter sweet!

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same."


It happened this year....I fell in love over and over with precious children of God. These little people taught me more than I think I taught them, I prayed for these babies-worried about them-cried over them(when they acted crazy during evaluations)  and rejoiced when they learned something new. I will never be the same. It's true you love those you serve. I will never forget my very first little class! 

Happiness!

Spotlight!

One of our sweet school friends and her little cuties are featuring us this week on their blog. She takes the time each week to feature a family that is adopting and raising funds. I love that she brings such an awareness to others!  She brought home this little angel not very long ago. She has been such an inspiration to me and her encouraging words have come at the exact time that I needed them. I feel certain that our daughters crossed paths for a reason and I'm so thankful they did!

  

Thank you Amy for sharing our excitement! 

As of late!

I loved this idea and linked up with them to share what we had going on as of late!
The link is here

As of late:

I have decided that this adoption journey is like a big puzzle. Each day another piece is added! 

I made it to the whole entire end of the school year without getting sick until this week. I got it....fever...sick....whining....the whole works and I couldn't stop because......

Our big news............................................................................................................................................

AS OF LATE....I got a new job at my kids school!!! YAY! I didn't have time to be sick because I had to put my best foot forward and be interview ready!!! Ha!!! Ha!!! 

I will be teaching kindergarten. 

I am so blessed. There are never jobs available at this school. It is a rare find. Well it just happens to have two spots this year. I was so nervous to interview because I had to get a paper signed from my current principal since it's in the same county. He was  soooo nice and understanding. I love it where I am but my heart is with my family. I got to see my new classroom today! No more juggling my girls in the afternoon begging people to help bring them home and arranging rides when I have late meetings or trainings. OH,  I AM SO EXCITED!!! (perfect for a new baby to arrive...less juggling).

AS of LATE: Our son Blake has rocked our world receiving 8 academic awards on awards day today and 3 sports awards at the awards banquet on Tuesday. We didn't even know. I am so impressed with his drive. Sometimes I look at him and just smile and wonder where I got such a good son!


AS of LATE:
We received a donation from a complete stranger. Our friend Christianne linked us up to her blog and along came another donation! WOW! I know...amazing! They have adopted 5 children from China. If you don't know them go read...they are so fun to read! It's amazing to read some of their adoption journeys. She has influenced me so much with more things than adoption.

As of LATE:
WE ARE ACTIVE!  Today....we are active!!! What does that mean?  We could get a match at any time. Does that usually happen? No, but it could. The average wait is 6 months for African American adoptions so I am going to try not to get anxious. I have lots to do but feel so relieved to be finished with paper work!!!!!!!! YaY!

As of Late:
We are helping my mom move less than 2 miles from me  (Another puzzle piece to our puzzle).  I didn't ask her if I could share this fun part of our story so I better wait to make sure it's ok but it's been another miracle.   I can't wait for her to be walking distance. Although we've only been an hour apart for 14 years an hour apart with a  busy family takes planning and 2 miles does not! She is retiring in a few days and I am so excited for her to be so close.

As of Late: We are praying for our two missionaries: William and Spencer to find people that want to hear about Christ!

As of Late:  My boys are finishing up spring football practice,  working at the ball field to make extra money, mowing lawns to pay for summer camps, and finished the 9th and 10th grade today.

As of late:  My girls are preparing for a big dance recital in June and Leah Beth her first girls camp at church!

As of late: My husband is coping with my ADHD and laughing with me because I am so all over the place excited about my new job and going active the same day!!!! Never the less he has taken over the laundry completely (thank you Steve)

AS of LaTe: I am sewing away on our little cape fund raiser! They are turning out so cute!

I could go on but I'll stop with the AS of LATE!!!

I would love to hear what is going on AS of LaTe with you!

Psalms 28:7

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him."


This adoption journey has left me daily in amazement. I mean seriously daily something happens that leaves me breathless. The last few days I am literally walking on sunshine.  I am spilling over with gratitude.

Saturday we received a donation that blew my socks off! Ha!  It is amazing how our Heavenly Father places the people right in our path and leads those to us right when we needed.  Right when more money is needed HE is providing for us.  It is also happening with mental support. I can feel like this is too big or too much to handle and someone will text or call or email and say just what I needed. It's not just happening to me but to Steve as well. He had a side job recently and the owners just adopted. He went to help a friend at her farm and the vet that came to help them had just adopted. He was given all kinds of support from those strangers.   I am not just thankful to my Heavenly Father but to those that listen to the spirit and lift us up!

Today our profile was complete 8 business days early. I can't help but think....and wonder....what does that mean. I keep telling myself that it will take awhile so I don't get over anxious about waiting.

Tomorrow we fed-Ex our last form in and 2000 more bucks and we should be active by next week. We are not quite funded but we will continue to work toward our goal (chick fa la night coming soon )but we have enough to move forward.

We have more exciting news that I can't share yet so....coming soon!

Yard Sale!

Our yard sale was very successful! The sale  brought in 1500 thanks to all of the wonderful donation. We even had stuff coming in Friday night. We are so thankful!

Yay! YIpee yay!

What's next:

We sent in a portion of the money and all the pictures. It takes them 3 weeks (give or take) to finish up their portion of our profile. At that point we will pay another 2000. Then hopefully go active-meaning we could get a match.  We aren't all the way funded so we are looking into chick fa la adoption fundraiser night. We sent in the paperwork and we are waiting to hear back.

For now I am in over my head with my young women's president calling-getting the girls ready for girls camp, Wednesday night activities and arranging rides to all the things coming up and end of the year evaluations (tomorrow-ugh)  and paperwork at work. Only 12 days school days left with my 2nd graders :( and Leah Beth and Caroline preparing for a dance recital.  I can't believe it's almost summer!!!!

Week in review and lesson learned

I love Amy's week in review link so I thought I'd do it again!



We have had many many highs this week!

HIGH

In my 2nd grade classroom we have lady butterflies. It has been an amazing thing to watch and learn and experience through the eyes of my 2nd graders. We are all so excited. 

Our family has been the recipients of so much service from others. I do not say this lightly. I mean so many have offered help in so many thoughtful ways. My load has been lightened all week by these gifts of others. I'm so thankful!

another high....I was able to attend an amazing writer's workshop this week on Thursday and Friday. I got to learn some really neat  techniques to be a better writing teacher. The schools in the area picked a few teachers and they are training from each school. I feel lucky to have gotten chosen and  I loved getting to go and can't wait to try what I've learned.

High

I was so worried it would rain on our yard sale date. This morning as I left for work it began to sprinkle! I prayed all the way to work that it would hold off till night or even tomorrow night! 

A big high-for no rain today and beautiful skies!

Low

having to go to work today while my mother-in-law and brother-in-law worked our yard sale!

It was hard for me to leave!

The chairs at the conference

were murder on my backside! I am so sore from sitting so long!

Seriously! They were children's chairs and they were hard as rocks!

Lesson learned!

#1-butterflies-don't take for granted the small and beautiful creations of God. It is amazing to watch and be a part of!

#2-Service-listen closely to the Spirit and when a little thought comes in your mind about how to help someone-that's what they need at that time...listen! I am so thankful for those that listened this week! 

#3-Writer's workshop-free training-take advantage of all I can!

#4-rain-pray over all things. 

#5-hard chairs-don't make my students sit in their chairs for too long at a time!

Working hard for the week-end!

We are working hard to get ready for our big yard sale this week-end!
We sold a big item on craigslist yesterday! YAY!
We are out of time to pick up any more items although we are still taking items.

Things I am thankful for:

My brother-in-law and mother-in-law and a friend have offered to work our sale Friday while Steve and I work.

All the donations we have received. It's amazing!  My  little college friends are even cleaning out and donating-It's a wonderful blessing!

Got a text from friends tonight that are going to help make and post signs for us. How did they know I wasn't done with that task and so thankful for them for following promptings of the things I still need!

Also, those same friends are bringing drinks to sale from a cooler just in case our shopping customers want a coke!

A parent in my class that emailed and said she is making bread for us to sale!

Things I am praying for:

Good warm weather

Lots of buying customers

Good attitudes of my working family members and myself -even during the clean up time!

Lessons I am learning daily:

To swallow pride-pride and more pride! Take help when it's offered and rejoice in the help!





This week high and this week low (linking up)

I am linking up this weekend with Amy to celebrate our week in review!








Our high this week was last night! At our gold stash party we raised $778. My friend Mckenzie hosted for us but gave us the host benefits. We had lots of people that showed up unexpected which was so wonderful. Then we had several friends that donated what they made on their old gold to us!  This was a huge high for me as we are getting closer to our goal.   Yay! Yay! Yay! Feeling so thankful  today!                                                                                                                                    




Our low this week was a tornado that hit the south. Our street  lost many trees and some house damage here and there but many throughout the south lost lives. I pray for them and their pain this week as they suffer the loss of their loved ones.
  

                                        

Fund Raiser Blog!

We created a new blog to make fund raising easier! We have a couple more weeks to finish up our profile, adoption paper work, picture files, and fund raising. We are hoping and praying to be funded by the end of May!  Our yard sale is coming up fast May 7 and our gold rush party is this Friday night at 6:30!

Click here to order away!!!!

Special thanks to all those that are helping us so much. We are so thankful!

He is Risen Matthew 28:6 Sunday will come

Gratitude with the good bad and ugly

Last night we went out collecting yard sale things for our upcoming sale. We got home late. Steve  and I were grumpy. We were lifting heavy things and he was short with me and I snapped back. Let's just say it ended up me grabbing my pillow and moving to the couch!  LOL! I only tell you this personal stuff because it is important part of the whole story. 

I couldn't sleep. I was fuming all night.  I kept getting up and reading my scriptures but it didn't work!  If I heard him snore I got madder! (Told you some of this was ugly) I could feel satan's influence as I let myself think negative thoughts and feel grumpy!   By this morning we had many things to do and went on our ways. He was actually nice and trying to apologize but I was still mad! (grudge holding!) I took one look at my house and my garage and got completely overwhelmed with all this.  It felt bigger than me. It is bigger than me.   I spent my morning driving kids to different events feeling grumpy and selfish and overloaded. 

Then the mail came with a card that said Philippians 4:19 "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." with a $100 check. 

Caroline said, "Mom, why are you crying so much." HA!  I was so overwhelmed with the timing and the blessing all in one.  I am so thankful for the atonement and that I can repent of my sins and be forgiven. 

We have never been on the receiving end like we are right now. This is truly a witness of daily miracles. As I realize that this is bigger than us but it's not bigger than Him I am again reminded that this is His plan not ours.  How grateful we are to get to experience this blessing. 

Lady BUTTERFLY

Our classroom caterpillars have arrived. We are in deep investigation in our classroom. I was so excited to be in 2nd grade just to be able to teach this science kit!  Our county has the neatest science program! I barely made the training Wednesday afternoon and my kit was delivered just in time to begin the unit. 

The little guest were delivered Thursday. They were placed into their new habitats and are still alive as we speak! 

Fasting and answers

After graduation in Dec. I found myself completely exhausted. It was a different kind of exhaustion from when I used to stay up all night doing picture work or had new born babies exhaustion. It was mental exhaustion. I feel like the entire time I was in school I really never put my feet on the floor. I worked part time,crazy loads of  homework from taking too many hours of school at once,  Steve worked two jobs and callings, kids sports then we through the PATH classes and homestudy in there but the all time hardest but most painful and exhausting part of school was Dad being so sick and in the hospital then loosing Dad. By the time Dec. rolled around it had been 10 months since we lost him but I had not let myself really rest. I was so excited to get a job teaching that I was not about to let myself take a break over the holidays. I had to get my room ready and lesson plans. It was so exciting and fun!   Then,  a little miracle took place...snow! We got so many snow days! We got more snow days than I remember ever getting since Blake started school. I feel like Heavenly Father was giving those snow days just to me! Finally, the exhaustion hit me and took me down.  I literally could not pick myself up off the couch. I was so exhausted like I can't explain exhausted. Snow day after snow day I slept and laid around with some much needed time with my kids! One day in particular I remember thinking what is wrong with me! I never lay around like this!  Wednesday night church was cancelled giving me even more extra rest from  my new youth calling at church.  I was able to focus on my classroom and my family and rest. It was a blessing. I could feel the peace coming over my body with the rest I needed to move forward with a lot of the pain that was lingering. 

What happened next took me by surprise. I thought I would snap out of it. As the weather picked up I would get up early. I loved getting to school super early and work before the children arrived. At school I was fine. I had tons of energy. I would stay late  at work getting organized but by the time I got home I had nothing left for my family. I would find myself crashing early-not being able to have the energy to do the things here at home that I loved to do. It was really bothering me.

 I decided to fast  and really pray about it. I have fasted for many things in my life but not something as simple as to have the energy I needed to be a good mom when I got home from work. I kinda felt like it crazy to ask for something so simple since I am in good health and have so many blessings why can't I just snap out of it. I needed energy to finish all this adoption paperwork that we felt so strong to do and I couldn't help but think if I'm this tired how could I handle a new born!  Another miracle happened as quickly as I asked for this simple thing...more energy....I got it. I found myself coming home and getting things done and being with my kids more than ever.   I mean it was one of those answers to my prayers that I didn't have to wait a day for. 

At first I thought I was just dreaming it and had a sudden burst of energy but then after a couple of days I was amazed. Now I can say I still have a day here or there that I am tired but I am shocked at the difference. I never really thought about asking the Lord for the smallest thing like energy when I was asking for 14,000 more dollars for a baby! But, I am reminded again and again the scripture in 

Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

What a blessing I received even for the the smallest things like energy to help me fulfill these small callings as well as the bigger ones.  This just confirms the testimony that He lives and loves us all and wants to help with the smallest things. 

Fine arts!

Fine Arts night + this girl = Fun Fun times! 

Winner of shirt and tote and adoption updates!

We have news our first free giveaway.....

Leah Beth drew the name of the green family tonight for our first free giveaway!

Leave us a comment and tell us the color-size and school name!!!

EXCITING!

More giveaways soon!

Adoption updates:

We finished all of our paper work for AA. We are working on collecting pictures (recent) of our family and mostly steve and I. Finding really good pictures of just the two of us has been kind of hard. I need to take some. I spent last forever last night looking through photos and I 've come up with the conclusion it's diet time again. I was disgusted!

We have a 90 minute phone interview with AA at some point where we have to be together during work hours...that might be impossible. We may have to take off work. Steve has to finish reading a little bit of literature and then when we are finished with funds we will be ready! I'm still hoping toward the first of May to go live! 

We are setting our match budget to $22,000. This means we will be helping the birth mom with certain things but not all things such as living expenses, medical, legal.  We may continue to save and raise  then as we have more we can raise budget a little at a time. 

So this is where we are at now....

We have had tons of people contact us for yard sale donations. Some we have already collected on the weekends and others we will be collecting over the next two weekends. We feel so blessed.

We have a number of items on craigslist and have sold many things already. This past week-end $300 worth of stuff sold! Yay!

We have gotten $200 on blog of donations from you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Several people have asked me if I still have to pay for the donation button 4.95 per donation. NO! I finally figured this out but I forgot to blog about it. I have a little learning curve with some technology! Funny that I am married to a man that does technology for a living! The donation button only charges a few cents. I have just been so overwhelmed with the generosity of others. This is so exciting and fun to be a part of as we pray for miracles and get to be a part of them every single day. Our kids are the so excited as yard sale or donations come in! Thank you! Thank you! 

We are currently working on restaurant night and gold rush party with McKenzie and hopefully a fun walk/run 5K. 

We are also looking for a good blog item for our blog fundraiser.  Heather has given me countless ideas I just have to find the time to follow through with them. 

One more thank you for being so willing and open to us as we embark on this exciting endeavor! 

Gold Stash Party!

Announcing our gold stash party! April 29 at 6:00. Email me at steveandgretchensolomon@gmail.com for directions. 


My friend Mckenzie is having a gold stash party for us. It is a really neat idea. Here's how it works. 


You come to Mckenzie's and bring all your old gold and silver. The company that will be there will purchase it. You go home with a check. Mckenzie is giving us the host rewards for having the party. 


It's really simple and you can really help our adoption by just simply coming and selling your old stuff. You get the money for your stuff!
If you can't come and want to participate give me a call and I will take your stuff and bring you back your check!




Silver is really going for high prices right now. 


Here's what they purchase:


Gold Items- 10K, 14K, 18K, 22K and 24K
Silver Items- 925, Sterling and .999 Bullion
Platinum Items- 950 or PLAT 
Dental gold
Silver and gold coins
Rare American Coins Pre 1964
Silver serving sets (complete or incomplete sets)

Prom #2

Friends are the sunshine of life!

new nephew

Our new little nephew came in for a visit this weekend! How fun to hold our new little buddy!

He sure is a wiggly little guy and likes to see what's going on all around with his big cousins!

How your desires change!

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor dust corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matt. 6:19




It has been amazing to me how when we are "called" to do something slowly as the  release of our will takes place to the will of God the desires of our heart  begin to change!


When we began this process  I was very content with my four big kids and we were looking forward to me graduating college, getting a dream job teaching, building our house on our land, and enjoying life. NEVER did I image I would have the desire to have a baby...not just another child but a baby!  I love babies but oh I remember all the work that came with those little bundles of sweetness. I have been long out of the baby stage-sleepless nights, crying, doctor visits often, diaper bags, diapers, formula, and all the other little goodies that come along with them!

As our adoption plans changed from an older child  to an infant my hearts desires have changed also. I am so content in my little house. The land is the farthest things from my mind! I can not wait to hold, smell, feed, bathe, and cuddle a new little one. It almost sounds weird to say it!  I am excited for my girls to experience this part of being a big sister to a new little one. I crave to hold our newest addition.  I can't wait to see if we get a boy or girl!