Just in...

Look what arrived today! The stainless steel travel mugs (14 oz. great for hot and cold drinks). After a very long drawn out family discussion, we decided on the lime mug. I used it at lunch and it was great! It has kept my drink super cold, has a easy slide on lid, controlled liquid flow and smooth feel to the lip. I have been 100% honest with my feelings toward all our gear...this one is great! I know you will like it and you should order one or two today because.......

There is word from the Korean ministry. The newest rumor (I have a call with our agency tomorrow) is that they will begin submitting and processing EPs March 5. They have reportedly said they will work to expedite those within 1-2 weeks. Again, we don't know where our paperwork will fall, but it is looking like we will be able to travel in March.

Bring. it. on.

Miscellaneous Monday

1. I can barely type out this post as my eyes are blurry from my weekend spent in chlorine-filled air at the Regional swim meet. Our family was split for the weekend...mother/sons and father/daughters. It was a great time for both groups. Our boys swam amazingly and the girls had such a great time with their dad! Although, I must say that it is a bit unnerving watching your thirteen year old on the starter's blog next to a man (17/18 yr. old) with a shaved chest and 5 o'clock shadow!

2. Nada from the Korean Ministry.

3. Finally!!!!

We knew this one wouldn't last long, as the next days' temperatures were suppose to warm up so we headed out that night for a long walk and some late night sledding...

4. I can't wait to see the new stainless steel mugs this week. (I did see the sample mug but without our logo.) I may need to purchase some "fancy" coffee to drink from it....lime or pink, that is the question.

5. Lindsey was so excited when we received a baby carrier from a friend.

I asked on facebook about recommendations for a back baby carrier. Not only did I receive some great suggestions but a friend, currently living in Italy, no less, offered to send us hers. Don't you just love that kind of thing?

6. Zilch from the Korean Ministry.

7. Nothing says love like a sister who will hold your nebulizer mask when your arm gets tired.

8. About 2 weeks ago we received some colored and clear Tervis tumbler lids. We have ONLY have 2 Tervis tumblers (with black lids) left. I hope we can reorder some later in the year but might not be until fall. If you were wanting one, order NOW.

9. Zip from the Korean Ministry.

10. Feeling like I need to end on a more happy note: Adopt on!

Look what's new....

Shop www.gotloveadopt.com

New to our fundraising shelves next week: 14 oz., acrylic outer with stainless steel interior, travel mugs. Available in lime and pink...we're thinking spring. Order yours today while supplies last....

Have a great weekend. Adopt on!

Nada

That would be the word out of the Korean Ministry on EPs (exit permission). I heard that by this time last year there had been 4-5 groups through...sigh.

In the meantime, we got in some colored Minus 1 tees. The sizes are limited, adult S-2XL, so email, takva73@gmail.com, before donating to check on availability. ($15 includes shipping!)

We still have at least one of each size/color except for the pink S & 2XL.

Every Adoption = Minus 1 Orphan

Grey shirt shows front, pink shirt shows back.

Please continue to pray for the Ministry to get a move on it. There are hundreds of children that have families waiting...like Carson! We are getting our house ready for him and believing it won't be long.

Baby brother BeWaRe!!!

(Need I say more?)

Last day....order on!

Keeping with the ____ on! theme, will you Pray on? There is a group of us praying this evening around 7:00 est b/c that is the beginning of the work week for the Korean ministry. We are praying that they would begin issuing exit permissions for the hundreds of children, including our son, who are waiting to go home. This is the LAST piece to their adoption puzzle. Once issued their forever family can come and take them home!! Join us, please.

We will be placing the first order of "Adopt on!" shirts tomorrow afternoon.

I hope to do another order but want to get this one to the printers and, hopefully, mailed out before we travel.

You can order yours at www.gotloveadopt.com.

Share on! winners

I wish I could personally thank each of you for taking the time to share our fundraising efforts with your friends, families, adoption groups and contacts.

We picked two of you to pick a free shirt.

Christy M.

Rebecca Lee

We have found such support from the adoption community.

I know many of you understand the love, passion and anticipation we are experiencing.

We received this amazing "baby shower in a box" from a friend.

It was so fun to look through all the goodies.

I cannot wait to see Carson's chubby little legs running around this summer in that onesie!

I want to share with you about another fundraiser. Can you get over these cute cards? I am not very crafty...so I'm thrilled to send hand-made cards and let the receiver just assume I made them! :) This pack of 10 was $17. Only $1.70 per card.

Don't give your money to Hallmark. Make every purchase count.

You can support this incredible family and order yours here: mowensjourney.blogspot.com

We will be placing the order for the new "Adopt on!" shirts Monday. If you were thinking of ordering one, now is the time!

Have a great weekend. Adopt on!

I'm done.

Here's my newest thinking...anticipation and anxiety in the wait are draining. And although I am longing like never before to travel to Korea and hold my son (I can't wait to see him, hold him, smell and kiss him.) I don't want to miss the here and now.

I have a husband and four children who need me. They need my attention and energy--most of which is being spent checking email, stalking timelines, and worrying about a situation that is COMPLETELY out of my control.

(I did contemplate sending the Korean ministry an "Adopt on!" shirt with a note attached reading "You all can drag your feet as long as you want to, we are still going to...")

Along with this thought, comes another one. Who am I trusting and believing in? If it is the Korean ministry then I am in a whole lot of trouble!

"ALL I HAVE SEEN TEACHES ME TO TRUST THE CREATOR FOR ALL I HAVE NOT SEEN."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I actually blogged about that a long time ago. Funny, or not so, how we can "learn" a lesson and so easily forget it. This post, written on May 24, 2010, boldly proclaimed how I had learned to wait on the Lord and know that His timing is perfect, regardless of how long this adoption might take. I only need to look at my sweet Lindsey and know. How quickly I forget His past provisions and blessings.

I read this the other night from Ann Voskamp's book:

"Raging at children for minor wrongdoings while I'm the one defiling the moment with sinful anger. Hoarding possessions while others die of starvation. Entertaining the mind with trivial pretties when I haven't bowed the head and heart in a prayer longer than five minutes a week."

My first thought was, "Has Ann been living with me the past month (or longer)?" Ouch.

My husband and children are the first to receive my disappointment and anger as another day passes without word on our travel. I can easily fill my mind and time with trivial things that certainly are not going to make the wind blow this way or that. (These days my stomach has been filled with much more than it needs.) My prayers have been more of a "Lord, get those men moving. Make them see that this prolonging isn't helping anyone!" rather than gratitude and trust.

And so I am done. I'm done with the wishing and the wanting. I am going to rest in the peace that He has promised. I am going to fill my day with my 5 Valentines and make memories with them of the days before Carson. I'm determined, with God's grace, to close this chapter with a happy ending...of days filled with love, forgiveness, understanding and joy. I'll relish this chapter's end and look forward with anticipation (only) to the beginning of the next...My family plus one!

Change of date: we'll pick 2 free t-shirt winners this Friday and be placing the new "Adopt on!" shirt order on Monday, Feb. 20. We are so appreciative to all who have shared our fundraising site. Thank you and Share on!

Happy Valentine's Day

The heart from the top of Seoul Tower in Korea. I'm missing my littlest Valentine.

Share on!

I'm not going to beat around the bush on this one. I would like for all of you...follower or just-by-chance reader today, to please share our fundraising site. Many of you have read our blog for the past almost 2 years and have seen/read about our many projects. Our Minus 1 projects...from raffles to bbq dinners to straw cups to charm necklaces. We have worked really hard to try to come up with new and different ideas.

But...stick a fork in me. :)

Would you please share our fundraising site or blog address?

You could blog about it.

You could send it through a tweet.

You could message it to your adopting friends.

You could post it as your status update.

You could text it to all your contacts.

You could rent one of those banners to be pulled behind a small plane (I'm thinking that would count as two entries).

Leave us a comment letting us know you shared--don't need details if you don't want to explain how or where--just that you did. Next Monday, we'll pick 2 of those comment authors to receive a FREE shirt of your choice.

We are so close to the finish line.

The front of the line says "Minus 1 Project".

The back of it reads "Apisa family plus 1".

Our current race is almost over. Praise the Lord that He sets the lonely in families.

Please, join us on this last leg...pass the baton to all you know and share on!

Rock on?

No, "Adopt on!"

Thank you to so many who have placed an order for the new shirts.

I'm picturing lots of shirt-matching family pictures...including ours!

Looks like we may be able to place the order sooner rather than later.

Now if only we would get that "Travel on!" phone call!

New logo and winner!

It all began when I blogged about a mock t-shirt design:

"Yes, thank you, we are well aware of the cost of college tuition and we are adopting another child anyway."

Well, it actually began as my facebook status after, once again, someone kindly reminded me how expensive college would be for five children. I think most adopting parents can attest to the fact that at some time they have heard some not-s0-encouraging remarks about their plans (or really God's plans) for their family.

When I rewrote it out for the blog, HERE, I ended the post with "Have a great weekend. Adopt on!" It just flowed...I thought: Ok, world, you're going to show me all the reasons that adoption doesn't make sense, well, my family and I are going to adopt on! Later that evening, Tim started messing with the message and made the "i" in adoption a guitar so it would read "Adopt on!" (Kind of like, rock on! Love that man's creativity!)

In the face of opposition, we say...Adopt on!

For millions, adoption is their only chance...Adopt on!

This world and even our own minds can try to convince us that welcoming and loving a child not of our own race or blood is not an option for us...Adopt on!

Break the mold, step out, do unto others, love as Jesus loved and

Adopt on!

Black/white...unisex cut (youth XS-adult 3XL)

Pink/white...unisex cut (youth XS-adult 3XL)

Lime/pink...unisex cut (youth XS-adult 3XL)

Soft style, ring spun grey/pink (a slimmer fit) (adult S-adult 2XL)

*Actual shirt color is a lighter grey color.

The winner of the free shirt give away is: Kim. Thanks for all the comments/suggestions.

You can order your shirt(s) from our fundraising site now. We'll place the order within the next few weeks. Click on over to www.gotloveadopt.com today and Adopt on!

Passing the wait time.

The wait time in adoption is by far the hardest for me. There is a fine line between anticipated what the next day will bring and wishing my day away. I don't want to wish away these days. I know very well that when that phone rings and we go--our lives will never be the same. We will then be a family of 7. It'll take time for everyone to find their new role. It has been many years since I had a baby on my hip--or in Carson's case, on my back.

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassion never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait on Him'"

Lamentations 3:22

I do believe that the Lord knows the ache in one's heart as they wait to hold, love, snuggle and squeeze their child(ren). I think that is why it is wise to wait on Him, hold, love, snuggle, and squeeze into fellowship with the One who knows exactly the pain. He has not forgotten. He doesn't waste a day in our lives!

And so each morning as I awake, I try to remember His compassion that will carry me through today and tomorrow.

On a lighter note, I thought I would share some of how Lindsey passes these waiting days. She grabs some dress up clothes, the camera and uses the coffee table as a tripod:

She realizes she is still in her jammies so she gets dressed.

Love the dramatic ending...definitely one of my favorite self-photo shoots, yet!

I hope my next post will reveal our new shirt design or a "we're off!"...whichever comes first.

Same post...lower prices!!

Bear with me here...I am stalling in hopes of getting to post our new shirt later today or tomorrow.

We dropped the prices for the shirts left to $10!!

We cannot go any lower, with shipping, and still make a profit.

Help us clear out for our new shirts, please.

In case you haven't heard...

We've got a son to get home and, conveniently, some stock to clear out.

We still have several "one of a kind" t-shirts.

Act fast...

Tangerine: 1 adult L SOLD

Irish green: 1 adult M and 1 adult L SOLD

Orange: 1 adult XL SOLD

Pink fitted long sleeve: 2 adult L SOLD

Tye Dye: 1 adult L SOLD

Black long sleeve: 1 adult L and 1 youth S SOLD: adult L

Black short sleeve (soft style): 1 adult L SOLD

Gray: 1 adult XL SOLD

Black shirt w/ pink fade: 1 of every size (youth XS-Adult 3XL)SOLD: Adult S, Adult M, Adult L, Adult XL, Youth L, Adult XXL, Adult XXXL

Adult small and XL

Email, takva73@gmail.com, to check availability before donating.

REDUCED....All of the above shirts, today only are $10 including shipping!!

Think ahead to birthdays, homecomings, showers, Valentine's, Mother and Father's day! I'm thinking ahead to bringing my baby home! :)

Bundle and t-shirt winner

A big thank you to all who donated toward our Bundle for my bundle donations.

Over the past two weeks, we received $160 into our adoption fund.

A huge thank you to Cindy and her family for their offer to match the donations.

That took the total to$360!! Woo Hoo!

(Yes...the $200 donation was given even though we didn't actually reach $200. Amazing!)

The big drawing...

Candace Roberts takes home the bundle!

Katie Helms takes home a free t-shirt!

I can't imagine the joy it will be one day to share with our son about the many people, from here to there, that gave to help us bring him home. Again, fundraising only works when others are willing to give, to invest in your cause. Adoption is certainly one of my favorite causes...and I am so thankful that so many of you feel the same way!

I think we'll be ready to share our new design next week. I hope that it brings you encouragement and a smile.

Have a great weekend!

Upping the Ante!

The donations for our Bundle for my bundle has reached $120.

We have been offered a matching donation for $200.

A difference of $80, so

we are upping the ante!

We'll pick one person tomorrow for the bundle and another for a free t-shirt.

See HERE for the details!

Word on the blogs is that the EPs will begin flowing mid-February! I hope this word is correct!

Thank you for all the suggestions below...we are in the final stages of this next design. I hope you all like it as much as we do! :)

Need some help...

We tried a change up on our "got love? adopt." logo about a month ago. If you remember we added a "give love..." Well, that didn't go well with the public! We only had a few sales and decided that it was too close to the original "got love?" shirts.

So...back to the drawing board!

After some recent conversations, we had an idea. One that is completely and totally different from our other designs but carries the same pro-adoption message. Tim got in his creative groove and viola!

We are hoping to get the image out in a few days but need some input. We are wanting to offer it, for a limited time, on 3-4 different color shirts and hope to include some long sleeve. Looking at our past t-shirt sales, black and pink are definitely the biggest sellers.

What color t-shirt would you like to see available? Leave me a color comment and you might just be picked to receive one of our new shirts for FREE!!!!

In case you forgot...flip those calendars over...it is FEBRUARY!! Come on EPs. We've got a son just a waitin' to come home!