It's Been Awhile

I'd like to be able to say that the reason we haven't posted here is because we were placed sometime in the last year, unfortunately, that isn't the case.  We have had a a lot of changes to our life though! 

In the last year, Derrick went from just pastoring a small church plant to working three additional jobs.   He now pastors our church part-time, works at the local airport full-time,  is an insurance navigator full-time and then also works part-time for Market Day.  Needless the say, he is a very busy guy!  The good thing is that he really enjoys all of his work. We have definitely sensed God's hand in Derrick's work life.  No one had been promoted to full-time from part-time at the airport in years, and a position became available just 8 months after Derrick started working there!

My work life is also made up of a lot of little pieces!  I have the opportunity to aid in a preschool at the school I used to teach at.  Preschoolers keep you young, that's for sure!  Plus the staff at the school is a constant source of support, encouragement and prayer.  I also tutor a lovely little girl twice a week and I recently was given the opportunity to teach at the local community college.  I am so thrilled to be back in the classroom!  Last, but certainly not least, my sister and I have a small crafting business, Homemade is a Hoot. In the last several months, our Etsy shop has been very busy!  The item that is selling most is mine and it is keeping me very busy at home with my sewing machine.  

My Essential Oil Case has sold like mad!  My husband and I decided that we would pay for all of the supplies of each case and then put the amount we receive (minus the shipping, Etsy and Paypal fee) into an account for our adoption.  Since July, we have made about $3,000 towards our adoption!  Last week alone, after Derrick did some facebook advertising, I sold 45 cases!!!!!  We are in awe!

So, why this update on our worklife? Adoption is expensive, so we work like crazy because we still hope and pray for a child that will be placed in our home.  This month, we have been waiting for five years for a little one to be placed in our home.  Five years is a long time.  We recently have found hope in the complete strangers who tell us they are praying for us, who are buying my products, and in our initial contact with a new adoption attorney.  This story will have a happy ending.  We know that God has a plan for our family. 

Please, keep praying for us! To God be the Glory!

An update and a Big THANK YOU!

Last I wrote, my sister Rachel was working on organizing a spaghetti dinner and auction fundraiser for our adoption.  Things went very well at our fundraiser!  I was thrilled and so thankful to have many family and friends there to eat, bid and help cook food.  We are also so thankful for the those out of town family and friends who have also donated to our fund!  We feel so blessed and supported by so many.  We are confident that God will provide everything that we need to someday bring home our adopted son or daughter!


Until then, I am spending a lot of time reading Scripture and praying.  This is really all I can do...which sometimes feels like it isn't enough, but truthfully it is the best thing that I can do in order to prepare for the future.  

A couple of weeks ago, I came across a verse in Psalm 142:5 that says, "You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life."  This makes me pause to really think about whether or not God is really all I want in life.  If I am telling the truth, then most days this isn't the case.  When thoughts go through my mind like, "God, if you would just give us a child, then I would be happy," then He isn't really all I want in life. 

Everyday is a new day.  I can choose to grow bitter at my current circumstances, or choose to trust that God knows what's best for the Fords.  I continue to covet your prayers as we continue our wait.  

God bless!

Spaghetti Fundraiser Dinner

I can't believe that it has been almost a year since I've updated family and friends through this blog.  A lot has happened in our lives in the past year...we moved, started a new church, and have made many new friends!

My last post talks about how our agency, formally Catholic Charities, changed its name to The Center for Youth and Family Solutions. Since that time, we lost another social worker and have had to update our license and Home Study for the state of Illinois.  Still, with another new social worker, more fingerprints and home walk throughs, we still have no baby.  Sometime last fall, we decided that we wanted to add another agency, one that would have a wider reach to birthfamilies.  So in March, we finally signed with Adoptions From the Heart.  AFTH is located on the east coast and our social worker is in their Connecticut office.  

We have had a wonderful experience with our new agency!  They were very quick to get us through the steps of being approved.  We even had a conference call with our new social worker, from her home, the day blizzard hit Connecticut!  We have officially been in their system since the end of March and look forward to receiving some feedback from them after their May report is issued. 

Why add this agency? 

1. Last year, they placed 160 babies.
2. Derrick and Corey's family is from the east coast, making travel arrangements somewhat easier when the call comes!
3. They have offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.
4. They are amazing communicators!  We email or call and hear back from our social worker right away. :)

With the addition of this new agency comes more expenses, so when my sister, Rachel, said that she would like to organize a fundraiser to help us raise some money, we were more than thrilled!  Now we just need everyone's help.  Will you come out with your family and eat some spaghetti?  Or will you donate an item for our silent auction?  Any small amount of help from your family and friends will make a huge difference to us and to our future child!  Thank you in advance for your willingness to participate AND thank you for your continued prayers as we continue to wait for our future Ford!

The Spaghetti Dinner is scheduled for Saturday, June 29th 5:30-7:30 at the Savoy Rec. Center (403 W. Graham).  Please email cormarie11@gmail.com for more information on tickets and donations.

A New Agency...Kind of

Well, it's official.   For those of you who have been hearing about Catholic Charities in the news...they are no longer an adoption agency.  Because of changes in the state laws, which effected CC's foster care work, we have all been moved over to a new agency.  We received a letter in the mail from "The Center for Youth and Family Services," today officially informing us of the change.  This is something we've known about since December.  We aren't expecting many changes at this point.  Our social worker remains the same, as does the adoption coordinator for the agency.  The new agency name is certainly a mouthful...hopefully it will also bring us a new little one in the near future. 


On another note, we continue to have our 'store' open at AdoptionBug.com.  Here we are selling adoption and family themed t-shirts in order to raise money towards our adoption.  If you want the proceeds to go to us, you have to order through this link!  Thanks in advance for your support and as always, we thank God everyday for those people who continue to pray for our family during our wait.

Vacation

Mini-golfing...we love it!

Derrick and I just returned from a nice trip to Orlando in order to relax and refresh! When you are awaiting an adoption placement, it's hard to make the plans to go on a trip.  Derrick has tried to book a vacation for us at this time of year for the last couple of years, and each time I would hesitate.  What if we get called with an emergency placement while we are gone? or...What if we are placed between booking the vacation and going on the vacation...that's a lot of money to loose. 

My goofy husband at Downtown Disney

Cinderella's Castle

Well, obviously, enough is enough.  We took the risk and decided we needed some planned time away...just the two of us.  The best part about the trip...I didn't think about the adoption or any of our other problems while we were gone!  It was a blessing to be away and to just think about the here and now for a couple of days. 


On a different note...we are starting a new fundraiser for our adoption through Adoption Bug.  If you are interested in helping us out, or are just passionate about adoption, follow this link to the website where you can purchase an adoption t-shirt (there is also a family and scripture themed t-shirt available).  Derrick and I will receive a percentage of every t-shirt sold through this link in order to help us out with adoption costs.  

ICK!

I've noticed, in the last several weeks, that suddenly I've been using the word 'ick' an awful lot!  As I sit down at my computer, ready to type, that is the word that comes to mind.  We've had a tough couple of months around this household....ick! 

Today, our social worker came to do our six month monitoring.  Nothing unusual.  Actually, I think I got less stressed about this visit than any other we've had.  Yes, we cleaned the house.  But this time there were several things my list that weren't done, and I was completely okay with that.  During our monitoring, we received an update about our agency, which will be changing names and 'philosophy' in March.  We also talked about the monthly support groups we are mandated to attend, which will also be changing...hopefully into a support group! I'm excited about the possible changes and hoping that they do make the group a more supportive environment.  

Derrick and I have recently been looking into some other avenues of adoption in the last several weeks.  Last week, we were again disappointed to know that money is the obstacle of adding anything else to help this adoption occur soon.  It is very frustrating to want to do more, but not have the resources to do so.  Especially when, even with some penny pinching, there is nothing that could be done in the near future. 

We've decided, therefore, to try and do some fundraising to help offset the costs of anything extra we might do.  Please pray that God will give us wisdom in where we should turn for financial assistance.  There is such a fine between taking the control away from God and waiting for Him to do His work. 

Those who are reading this who know us personally, know that the last couple of months have been heart-breaking.  Please keep us in prayer, things have just been...'ick!'

Still Learning

So this week, Derrick and I headed up to Oshkosh, Wisconsin for our fourth year of Lifest together! This is a wonderful Christian music festival that I attended for the first time with my sister and a friend in the late 90's.  Then, it was just getting it's start and rather small...but now it caters to 18,000 people during the five days every July.  The reason why Derrick and I like going so much is because we get to hear a lot of different speakers and artists talk about their faith and lesson they've learned from God through their ministry.

As usual, this year, I felt like there were several things God was trying to tell me through the speakers/artists.  I was reminded to be faithful with where I am right now.  This is where God wants me now...I must not be so focused on the future that I don't do what He wants me to do now.  I also heard Him tell me to not be so worried about my weaknesses...because in my weakness, He is made stronger.  If He calls me to do something, even if I don't think I have the tools to obey, I must obey. 

I also learned the "stories" behind two songs that have become dear to me in my adoption wait.  One, by JJ Heller is called "Your Hands."  JJ shared about writing this song after going through a difficult time in her life.  Sometimes, we don't understand why we have to go through difficult times, but ultimately, God knows what is on the other side...He knows best! Below are some of the lyrics to this song.

I have unanswered prayers
I have trouble I wish wasn't there
And I have asked a thousand ways
That You would take my pain away
That You would take my pain away

I am trying to understand
How to walk this weary land
Make straight the paths that crookedly lie
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

Derrick and I also saw Laura Story at a 11 p.m. concert one night.  She is truly an amazing woman...it was wonderful to be able to see her heart.  Recently, I heard the song "Blessings" on the radio one night.  I, of course, now have it downloaded on my ipod.  It also speaks to the "why" of difficult times.  Hearing why Laura wrote the song brings perspective to my own life. Below are some of the lyrics to her song. 

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

 God is still speaking...we must take the time to listen!