T-Shirts and Thank You's

Wow.  I have wanted to write this post for about a day about I couldn't quite find appropriate words.  I am so humbled.  I'm humbled to the point of tears.  I am so grateful.  I'm grateful to the point of being speechless.

Ever since our plea for help you guys have been pouring out of the woodwork with donations, fundraisers, ideas, and support.  Again, folks I don't even know are stepping up to the plate to fight for the cause of the orphan...of my boys.  I keep thinking to myself "I don't deserve this, I really don't deserve this."  God brought it to my attention that I'm right.  I don't deserve this.  But my boys do.  I don't deserve any of the good and perfect gifts He bestows upon me...but I am His child and He longs to bless us.

Our Father has such a huge heart for orphans and He has made that clear in scripture over and over again.  You guys "out there" are doing His will by helping these orphans.  You are being the hands and feet of Jesus.  You are all busy with your own families, own jobs, own problems, and own joys yet you are reaching out to help two young boys half way across the world.  I'm am in tears again as I write this.  I love the LOVE that adoption inspires in everyone.  I'm sure it was intended that way.  After all, God has a heart for adoption and we're made in His image...so, I can see where that logic makes sense.

We're kicking off another fundraiser: T-Shirts!  I designed the T-shirts myself so they would be especially near and dear to my heart.  There are approximately 147 million orphans in the world.  Gosh.  Then, the "minus 2" represents our two boys.  The two handprints (meant to represent our two boys again) in Africa are placed where the country of Ethiopia is.  The verse at the bottom is a promise to us from God.
If you would like to order a t-shirt you can contact me via email (amessj23@hotmail.com), Facebook, or any other method.  If you are willing to sell t-shirts, too, that would be wonderful.  I can email you or snail-mail you the order form.  Every little bit helps :)  I've included the designs below.







Men's T-Shirt Design

Stone Blue Shirt w/ Black Lettering

Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2XL

 

Women's T-Shirt Design

Black Shirt w/ Hot Pink Lettering

*Fitted Cut Design*

Sizes: S, M, L, XL

 

Youth T-Shirt Design

Red Shirt w/ Black Lettering

Sizes: S, M, L

 

All shirts are $15 or 2 or $25

(other sizes may be available, talk to me about your needs)

 

 

Let's bring these sweet boys home!

Two More to the Crew

You know, I didn't quite know what to expect of myself when the time came for us to "meet" (via pictures) our boys.  The journey has been SO different this time around than it was last time.  While we anticipated the matching of our first children we were so totally engrossed in every detail.  I spent every free moment I had thinking of them, planning for them, and praying for them.  While I've regularly thought, planned, and prayed for these sweet boys it certainly wasn't to the degree or with same strange sense of intense helplessness as it was last time.  I truly can say that my faith and trust has significantly deepened since those months two and a half years ago.  God has shown His mighty provision again and again so much that I feel a calming peace in my soul.  Perhaps I shouldn't.  After all, we already have four children and two dogs, Jordan is getting ready to deploy, and I have nothing ready for these boys except room in the house, a few t-shirts, and their bedding.  But, I like it this way.  I like leaning on the everlasting arms so much better than leaning on my scrawny arms and diligent planning.  However, I digress...

As soon as the email came with the information and pictures of my new sons the exact same feelings came flooding back with a vengeance.  I fell completely head-over-heals, smitten-kitten.  My heart grew...again.  I suspect they are near to the feelings a mother feels when she births her second child.  I love them.  I long to squeeze them.  I want them to know how special they are.  I want them to know they are a precious child of God.

I wish I could share their names and pictures, but at this point I cannot.  I can show them to you in person but they can't be posted on the internet.  I will tell you, though, that they are very handsome.  They are tall and lean.  Joseph already has great plans in mind for the three of them.  I'm not sure if I should be worried about this or not :)

I spoke earlier of God's provision.  Let me share two major events thus far that only caused me to be incredibly humbled and in complete awe of Him:

1.  Our first payment was due to the adoption agency this week.  On the very day we intended to put the check in the mail I received word from Calvary Baptist (our church from State College) that they intended to support us in this adoption.  The amount they told me they would like to donate was the exact same amount as the first payment.  Wow.  God is so good.

2.  Our dear friends, Erin and JT Bell, began this adoption journey with us two and a half years ago.  Once we moved to State College we quickly formed a special friendship that only strengthened and grew once we both chose adoption.  At that time they had absolutely no idea that it would be this long before they would be matched with their children.  At that time we had absolutely no idea God would call us to adoption a second time nor did we know He would call us to international adoption.  That being said let me tell you this:  Of all the orphaned children in the world not only are our children coming from the same country, not only are they in the same large city, but they are in the exact same orphanage together.  Right at this very moment our four sweet boys (two of theirs, two of ours) are snug in their beds sleeping under the very same roof.  We believe it to be no simple coincidence that friends as close as we are have our children placed in the exact same orphanage at the exact same time.  God has made it clear to us that he knit this bond for a purpose.  We are eager to see what awaits our families.

We remain grateful and thankful for each one of you.  We love the way you love us and we love the way you love our children.  As this next adoption is moving much quicker than expected, we will be doing a variety of fundraisers.  If you have any desire to help (sell t-shirts, Zumba-thons, spaghetti dinners...any other ideas you may have) please let us know.  Every little bit of support helps.  We have already started the quickest and easiest fundraiser:  straight donation.  I've included the link below if you feel led to support us in this endeavor.

http://www.youcaring.com/adoption-fundraiser/USS-Ames-Adding-to-the-Crew/38625