Never say NEVER!

I'm pretty sure I said I would NEVER be a blogger!  I also NEVER thought that I would try sushi, or go to Africa, or ever grow our family by any other way than the good ol' fashioned way!  Well, looks like it's time to EAT...MY...WORDS!!  I have decided to begin blogging as a means to journal--to chronicle "the journey" towards bringing our sweet baby #5 home!!  (I'll get back to baby #5 in a minute!)  I want this to be a space in which I can document my feelings, fears, worries, joys, sorrows, and God-moments.

One regret I have in raising our 4 small children so far, is that I haven't taken the time to sit and reflect on ALL of the awesome...challenging...laughable...frustrating...and truly here and gone moments often enough.  So many times I have thought, I should really write down that funny thing that Sawyer just said or get out the camera to record that creative, slightly jerky dance routine that Avery just created.  Reality is, LIFE just seems to be passing by and I need a way to capture and FREEZE these precious moments before they are long gone and all too often...forgotten.

I have been a fan of the blog world for about a year now and I am certain that God has used the words of other women-many of them mothers like me-to speak His truth in a powerful, direct, and real way.  My prayer through this blog is that God would use my words to do the same for other women.  I pray that I would have the humility to share my struggles, doubts, and convictions just as readily as I share the happy, perfect moments of motherhood and life!

More than anything, my prayer is that through this blog I am able to share this adventure with our closest family and friends.  I hope that it answers questions, opens hearts, and starts a dialog that is centered around speaking up for those without a voice....the orphaned, abandoned, and unborn.

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; defend the rights of all those who have nothing. Speak up and judge fairly, and defend the rights of the poor and needy."  Proverbs 31:8-9

So, back to baby #5......we are extremely excited to announce that we have begun the process of adopting a child from Burundi!  I know what you are thinking....Burundi?!?  Where the heck is that?  I've never even heard of that place before!  

Well, here are a few quick facts on the country of Burundi:

1.) Located in East Africa-bordered by Dem. Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Kenya.

2.) Country population is 8.7 million people and is one of the most economically impoverished countries in the world.

3.) More that 558,000 orphaned children with 77,000 double orphans (having lost both parents).

4.) Nearly 1 in 5 children are orphans in the country (17%)

5.) More than 1 in 5 children die before their 5th birthday due to preventable illnesses such as diarrhea and malaria.

6.) Average life expectancy is 42 years.

7.) 230,000 children have been orphaned due to AIDS

8.) 1 in 12 women die in child birth.

Burundi experienced similar unrest as Rwanda during the 1990's, but what was labeled as genocide in Rwanda was considered a Civil War in Burundi.  

We are part of a pilot program through Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota and understand there may be many bumps, detours, and changes along the way.  Trusting that God will go before us through all of this.  We are in the very preliminary stages of the process now, as we just submitted our application paperwork to the agency last week.  The general timeline that we have been given is to expect to have our child home in roughly one year.  Again, due to this being a pilot program--that timeline may change and we are, again, choosing to trust God and His perfect timing!  

Now, off to the reality of life with my four kiddos!  It's 8pm and I've managed to sneak in an hour of quiet computer time thanks to a movie that captured the attention of the kids, but bedtime is calling!!  I will continue my next post with how this whole CRAZY journey began, but in the meantime--my husband and I would appreciate any and all prayers!