The story He has written...

It was February 4th, 1995.  I was at Gatlins, a country bar (yes, you read that right) with my girlfriends and I saw this bouncer.  This really, really cute bouncer who also happened to be a really good dancer.  Can you say "swoon"?  I said to my friend Joe "Hey, do you know that bouncer John?"  When Joe (pictured on the right with John) said that John was a buddy of his, I asked him to give John my phone number.   After a night of dancing, a large group of us went out to breakfast....you know, those 2 am trips to Denny's after the bar closes kind of breakfasts.  John was on one end of the table, me at the other.  We never got the chance to talk that night.  John left early because he had been working 2 jobs and was beat.  As he left, he walked by, winked, tipped his hat and said "nice to meet you".  I melted.

A week later, I was on a blind date.  What a nightmare...and I'll leave it at that.  I got a page from my roommate.  Ya, I was cool and had a pager....LOL.  I called up my roommate and she said "some guy named John from Gatlins called".  Insert headache.  Dear blind date, I have a really bad headache and need to go home.  Now.  I went home and called John.  He wasn't home.  The next day, he called and we officially had our first date.  February 12, 1995.

Valentines Day.  All the ladies are getting roses.  I was NOT expecting anything....John didn't even know where I worked.  Suddenly, a delivery guy is walking up with a dozen roses.  A dozen roses...are you kidding me??  I looked at the card.  It was from blind date guy.  My heart sank.  I did the polite thing and called him to say "thank you".  His response "my buddy owns a flower shop...I got them for free".  I just laughed.  A couple hours later, one of my co-workers said "oooooooooooh girls, there is a good looking cowboy walking into triple-A (where I worked at the time).  My heart hit the floor.  I looked up.  It was John.  In his cowboy hat and wranglers.  With 2 roses.  He had heard me mention that I worked for AAA and went to several offices before he found me to deliver his 2 roses.  2 roses because it was all the money he had before payday.  I was hooked.

4 months later, we were engaged.  1 year after that, we were married.  And we lived Happily. Ever. After.

NOT!  This is where you can insert that annoying record player needle scratching over the record sound.

14 months after we were married....we were on our way to divorce.  Papers had been filed.  I had moved out and our lives were a mess.  Our marriage was not built on the foundation of Christ.  John was not walking with the Lord, and I had no clue who Jesus was.

By God's grace, we didn't divorce.  Somewhere during the 6 months we were apart, I realized that love was not a feeling, but a choice.  We got back together and God gave us the most precious gift on our 3rd wedding anniversary, Mandy 'Jo' Patterson.  Remember the guy Joe who gave John my number?  After our first date Joe said we'd get married.  We promised him if we did, we would name our first born after him.

2 1/2 years later, Trent was born.  Life was good.  Really, really good.  Or so we thought.

We began to realize how incredibly broken we still were and knew there was something missing in our lives.  At the urging of my father in law, we began to attend church.

Our lives would never be the same.

Within months John recommitted his life to Christ.  I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.  Just a few months after that....Funky Fish was born.

And then came the announcement that changed everything.  John said "I want to go into full time ministry!"  YOU WANT TO DO WHAT?  Hello.....WE MET IN A BAR!  God does not use people like us.  Not to mention, you work at INTEL.  People don't leave jobs like that!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How foolish I was.  So very, very foolish.  Obviously I hadn't read my bible enough...ahem...at all at that point.  He used adulterers, prostitutes and murderers.  He called accountants & doctors to do His work.

We were in for the ride of our lives.  And what an amazing ride it has been.   It's been 9 years since we committed our lives to Christ.  God has allowed us to experience the most amazing adventures.  Carried us through the most difficult trials.  Answered the most amazing prayers.  Remained silent when He needed us to grow in our trust & faith.  Provided financially in ways that humbled us beyond words.  And in His perfect plan AND timing....did just as He promised...called John into full time ministry.  To the job he had prayed for for 7 years.  But since God is our PERFECT REDEEMER,  when He called John to be a Pastor, He called him to be a Pastor over the marriage ministry.  Not only is He our Redeemer, He has a great sense of humor.

And He continues to grow our love for each other daily.  If you would have told me 17 years ago that I would be crazy in love with John, I wouldn't have believed you.  Because the truth is, as I was walking down the aisle, I thought "what am I doing?"   I seriously get giddy about my husband.  And I probably make people sick.  But, I am ok with that.  I love him like I didn't know I could love.  And I believe the only reason I can love him like that is because of Christ.  God loves me in ways that I will never, ever understand.  But in His faithfulness, He has given me something tangible to help me understand His perfect love....John. 

I fall more in love with my husband the more I learn to love Jesus.

I can't wait to see what God has in store for the next 17 years.  I know one things He has planned...and it involves a beautiful little boy in Africa.

And our story continues.....

To God be the Glory.....always.
Dawn

Trust me...

There are plenty of things in this adoption that scare me, but if I am being honest, the thing that scares me the most is the finances.  Which is pretty sad if you think about it.  Do I trust God, or don't I?  I trick myself daily into thinking I'm in control of single-handedly raising the funds to bring our little guy home.  I brainstorm about how many necklaces I have to sell in one day, how much I can cut out of our grocery budget, how much "couponing" do I need to do....you get the picture.

The reality is God has this.  God cares for the orphan way too much not to.

I've been pretty sick the past few days and haven't been able to make a lot of jewelry.  I was pretty stressed about it too.  If I'm sick, I'm not stamping.  If I'm not stamping, I'm not posting cute pictures of facebook to tempt people to buy stuff.  If I'm not tempting people to buy stuff, then this adoption will never be paid for and it will be my fault because I have that much control, right?  I sent my sweet hubby a text and asked him to buy 3 things at the store on his way home.  Just 3 things.  When he walked through the door, he had several bags....way more than 3 things.  I panicked.  "What did you buy and how much did you spend?"  I jokingly began to needle him about how he had spent more and bought more than I asked and how he was cutting into our adoption budget.  (Really folks, I promise I was just messing with him :o)  So, he joked back and said "well, since you are giving me such a hard time about my lack of shopping restraint, I'm not going to share a surprise with you".   I had no idea what he was talking about but I was intrigued.  Then he pulled an envelope out of his laptop bag.  I asked him "what's that?  He said "open it and find out" with a very large smile on his face.

So I opened it.

Tears.

Somebody had anonymously donated $1000 to our adoption.  I was blown away.   My friend Janice said "I love anonymous gifts... it's like something came straight from the hand of God."  So true!  I was even more touched by the note on the envelope "To bring him home".  Be still my heart.  When Mandy made our t-shirt design, she said she would tell her brother that she made the shirts "to bring you home".

God is so good.

I've added a fundraiser thermometer to my blog for a couple reasons.  I suffer from deer in headlight syndrome bad.  Like really bad.  Really, really bad.  This is a good visual for me to see just how God is moving "to bring him home".  Also, to continue to help folks know about our need.  

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.  Malachi 3:10


You win God.  You always do.  And I am so thankful that you are Lord over my life because I would, "single-handedly" make a mess out of it.  Thank you for loving me.  Thank you for loving us.  And thank you for loving our boy on the other side of the world. 

And God, the next time I send my hubby to the store for 3 things and he brings home 6, I promise to just be thankful and realize how blessed I am to have a hubby who will even go to the store for me :oD

To God be the Glory....always!
Dawn

We're expecting!

Yup...it's official!!  We are expecting!!  Ok, ok...that's misleading, I know :o)  We received our referral today for a little guy that we've been praying about and we are so excited!!!

Sometimes I find myself almost day dreaming wondering wow did we get here? I was recently recalling a conversation I had with my good friend when we were in Ethiopia together on a mission trip for the Hope in Ethiopia almost 2 years ago.  She had adopted from Ethiopia and I had so many questions for her.  I shared with her all my fears about adoption.  How could I love a child that didn't come from my body?  How could I ever get educated enough to adopt because I hate. to. read?  How would I feel if I heard the words "your not my real mom?"  Where on earth would the money come from? 

Fast forward 19 months and here I sit today.  Starring at a picture of this beautiful boy and my heart just melts.

Through several trips to Africa, God has shown me just how much I could love a child that wasn't my own.  I find myself waking up at 4:30 am to watch (key word...watch, not read :o) videos on how to parent the adopted child...soaking up every word.  I've had checks just "show up" in my mailbox or donations to our adoption fund from places that I least expected. And the words "you're not my real mom?"  Well, I just need to get over that fear because it's just not about me.  It's about God and what He has called us to do.  The Lord has blessed us beyond words with amazing friends that have literally held our hands throughout this journey and continue to do so.  My heart has been transformed in so many ways through this journey.

One thing that we absolutely did not expect was how quickly this is moving.  We could be in country for our adoption as soon as 4 months.  Now, that really is best case scenario but it's something that we need to prepare for.

We have an immediate need for about $3000.  I have been blessed by the orders pouring in but I can only do so much.  I still need to be a good mama to my babies and love on that amazing husband the Lord has blessed me with.  We've got some fundraisers in the works but they will take some time to pull together.  We have our application in for the Abba fund and we will definitely be applying for grants.  I was encouraged by a friend to put our need out there because sometimes people just don't understand the financial need in adoption.

The reality is that over the next 4 months, we probably need to raise somewhere around $14,000.  (breathe in, breathe out...that was a reminder for me :o)

We have a donate button in the upper right hand corner of our blog.  If you feel the Lord leading, please consider making a donation.  No amount is too small.  Every dollar matters and every dollar brings us closer to our little guy.  If every one of my facebook friends gave $5.00...BOOM...that $3k need would be met.  Just like that.

And by all means....keep on shopping :o)

Thank you so much for all your love, prayers & support.  I can't even put into words how much it means to us.

To God be the Glory...always!!
Dawn

Time for some serious fundraising......

Our adoption journey has taken a twist.  I think it's a really good twist though.  As mentioned in my previous post, we started this journey independently....meaning, we had no agency to represent us and we had to figure it all out ourselves.  Well, the little guy we feel God calling us to parent is with an agency which changes things up a bit.  The really good news is that I have someone to hold my hand now....which, if I am being honest...walking the independent journey was really scary.  There were so many unknowns and I felt completely out of my league.  So there is a lot of relief....but there is also additional costs that are due.  Now.  Like right now.  :o)  I have said many times to many families that God will provide.  I've seen Him provide.  But now that we are here....oh my word...it is really, really scary!

I trust the Lord wholeheartedly, but, just like the Hummingbird....I need to do what I can.  I got a REALLY good deal recently on sterling silver chains so I am happy that I can now offer our sterling silver Africa necklace even cheaper!  They are now $25.00 (which includes shipping) and all profits go directly toward our adoption.
To purchase, simply use the Paypal button in the upper right hand corner of my blog.  Each sterling silver pendant is handstamped with Africa. 

We will be doing the t-shirts again very soon.

Also....any of my custom stamped items go directly toward our adoption.  When you make a purchase on my website....any product in the Patterson family adoption...yup, you guessed it...it all goes toward our adoption

Lastly, if you just feel the Lord leading you to give toward our adoption, we would be so incredibly grateful....and humbled.  There is something very humbling about putting your needs out there.  It's raw.  And it's really hard.  But I think it's exactly what God wants us to do because He gets all the glory. 

We know his name.  We've seen his face.  We pray for him by name.  And it makes us want to fight for him with everything we have.

To God be the glory,
Dawn
XOXO

A new season.....

It's been just over 4 months since my last blog post which. is. shameful.  Admittedly, I wasn't much of a blogger to begin with.  Who am I kidding...I'm not even much of a writer so blogging really is a stretch for me.  But, I see how blogging can be so incredibly useful...especially in the adoption world.  There is so much information out there and so many families to gain wisdom from.  I don't know if we will ever be a family that one could gain adoption wisdom from, but I do believe it's important to share this journey.

So what season are we in now?  If you would have asked me 3 months ago, 6 months ago, even 2 years ago...I would have told you we are in a season of "waiting".  We'd been trying to sell our house since April 2009.  Holy smokes....2009.  Typing that makes me almost not believe it.  We had a few months here and there where we took breaks but for the most part, we were in "house for sale" mode.  Shortly after we started our first fundraiser for our adoption, God had a big surprise for us.  We were on our way to Phoenix for T4A and got a call that somebody wanted to buy our house!  PRAISE GOD!  So, we sold our house...during the Christmas season and my busiest jewelry season of the year, survived a 4 week stomach virus, got moved and survived one of the craziest experiences of our lives.  Ahhhhhhhh.....here we are today and all is well.  So back to the current season.  What season are we in?  We are now in a season of "waiting".  Imagine that!  God is funny.  I also would have told you 6 months ago that God had us learn how to wait on Him to prepare us for our upcoming adoption journey.  But the truth is...and maybe other adoptive mamas can answer this better....is there anything that REALLY prepares you for the adoption journey?

So, we are in a season of waiting....differently.  We've tried to compare it to waiting to find out if during our first pregnancy whether we were having a boy or a girl.  Waiting to find out if Trent had permanent heart damage when he got Kawasaki disease.  Waiting to find out if John got the job we'd been praying for for 7 years.  Waiting to....sell the house.  But, it's different than all of that.  There's a bundle of emotions in this journey that I've never experienced.  It's exciting, yet terrifying.

I find myself with a brand new empathy for mamas waiting on adoption.  I've just really started and the anticipation is overwhelming.  My heart aches for the families who have been waiting a year, 18 months, 2 years...4 years.

This is our first rodeo and I know we are going to get knocked off the bull many times.  But, Lord willing, we won't have too many broken bones and we'll be able to dust ourselves off and get back on.

So....where are we at now?  Let's just say we are at the "waiting on the pregnancy test" stage.  There is a sweet little guy that we are officially pursuing.  ♥♥♥  And he is BEAUTIFUL.  And when I look at his picture I cry.  And when I think about him, I want to fight for him with EVERYTHING I have.  And we BELIEVE he is our son.  And we are falling in love.  And it's REALLY, REALLY scary.  As much as we want to guard our heart and hold onto this loosely....we don't want to miss one single experience God has for us on this journey.  So....we are ALL IN.  (plug for you M.C. :o)

We started this journey independently.  But, slowly, Uganda is using more and more agencies.  This little guy is with an agency so we have some paperwork we have to get in order before we can be officially matched.  Things are definitely moving along and we should know soon.  Very soon.

We are also starting a season of fundraising...serious fundraising.  Signing with an agency means extra money.  And we are ok with that because we trust that God will provide.  But..ya...you will probably get really sick of me posting and asking you to buy a t-shirt or jewelry.  Because really, how many t-shirts and jewelry does one person need?  Wait....what am I saying?  EVERY woman needs jewelry.....LOTS AND LOTS of jewelry :o)  Did I mention LOTS?  All of my hand stamped creations go toward our adoption.  And according to my calculations, I only have to stamp up 514 pieces of jewelry to bring our little guy home....but who's counting ;o)

Oh, how I would love your prayers!  Prayers for wisdom, God's favor, spiritual protection, financial provision, strength......I could go on and on.  If you are an adoptive mama....you know so much better than I what to ask for prayer for so bring. it. on!  We NEED you.

XOXOXO,
Dawn

To bring you home....

I am soooooooooooooooooooo excited about these shirts!  This is our official Patterson Family adoption fundraising t-shirt.  I love them because it was Mandy's idea.  From the second we told the kids we were moving forward with adoption (and to be honest...they were ready before we were :o), Mandy got busy.  She drew the picture of Africa that is featured on the back of the shirt and said "let's make t-shirts with this!".  On the front are her words....in her writing "to bring you home".  Insert melting heart here.  The scripture we chose for our shirts is Mark 9:37 "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."  This scripture spoke so powerfully to my husband John as we prayed through our decision to adopt.

The shirts will be $23.00 (which includes shipping).  We will be pre-selling them and will make "bulk" orders so we can get the best price on the shirts.  To order, please use the Paypal button on the upper right side of our blog.  In the description field, please enter your shirt style(s) & size(s).  Here is what will be available:

Junior Fit available sizes:  XS S M L XL 2X
These run 1 to 2 sizes smaller than normal fit.  So, if you normally wear a medium, I would recommend a Large or Extra Large.  I comfortably wear a large.

Unisex Fit available sizes:  XXS XS S M L XL 2X 3X
Runs fairly true to size

Mens Premium fit available sizes:  XXS XS S M L XL 2X 3X
Runs just a little bit small

Paypal ordering instructions:

The shirts are a 100% cotton fine jersey....and feel wonderful!  Super soft!

Buy a shirt and be part of the journey to bring a child home to their Forever Family.  Please share this with your friends.  There is something incredibly humbling about asking people for money.  But there is something even greater....letting others share in the joy of this journey.  Thank you for being part of this adventure with us!

Our first official fundraiser!

I'm so excited about this item.  Although we just recently announced our plans...in my heart I knew we'd be going down this path.  So, I began stockpiling these beautiful sterling silver rectangles and started saving my nickles and dimes so that I could purchase a new, smaller Africa stamp that would fit these charms perfectly.

Well, my stamp arrived just this week!  I love these necklaces.  Perfectly simple....but they say so much.  And they will do so much.  Every necklace purchased benefits our adoption!  Every necklace purchased puts us one step closer to meeting the newest member of our family.

Each necklaces includes a sterling silver charm hand stamped with Africa.  The charm measures 6/8" x 7/8" and hangs from a sterling silver ball chain in your choice of 16" or 18".

To purchase a necklace, simply make a $30.00 donation to our adoption fund using the link in the upper right hand corner.

Please consider sharing this on your blogs & facebook pages.  Thank you so much for your support through this journey.  I have so much comfort knowing we are not doing this alone.  God is so good and I believe He's been preparing us for this journey long before we ever knew.