Sunday, December 14, 2008
Blizzard and Snow Days!
So we officially are having our first blizzard of the season. It started snowing last night and hasn't stopped yet. We have snow drifts in our backyard as tall as I am...which makes it very hard for Charly make his way down the deck to do his business. The blizzard isn't supposed to end until tomorrow morning...school has already been cancelled! So that means a snow day for me and a work day at home for Jack tomorrow!! Little blessings from above!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
More blessings of 2008!
Well it seems like God is growing the Keller family by leaps and bounds! After contacting our adoption agency, we learned that our paperwork has been over in Ethiopia since October 22nd! That means that we would be able to get a referral of an infant boy next month...the only thing is that since we are pregnant...we will have to be put "on hold" until June. After Baby Keller is born, we are able to go off of "hold" status to receive and accept a referral. After that, it will be 4-6 months until Baby Hope's homecoming! That means that we will have two children under one years old at this time next year! Although we are thankful for the precious time that we will get to spend with our biological child...we are so very anxious to bring our little boy/girl home from Ethiopia. Since we started the process last October...the entire process will take a little over 2 years. We trust that God's timing is perfect and so we believe that God is preparing us to receive a double blessing...everyone tells us that we will be "busy". I can't think of a better "busy" to be...I have dreamt about being a mommy since the time I can remember and both Jack and I look forward with longing to hold our two precious children in our arms!
There won't be just two Keller babies next year....three Keller babies will join the family in 2009. We found out that our brother and sister-in-law are also pregnant and due in July. Oh how sweet to experience the miracle of this baby too! God is so good!
There won't be just two Keller babies next year....three Keller babies will join the family in 2009. We found out that our brother and sister-in-law are also pregnant and due in July. Oh how sweet to experience the miracle of this baby too! God is so good!
Monday, November 10, 2008
An Unexpected Miracle!!
"I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him." 1 Samuel 1:27
During the week of September 29th, I had the joy of sharing the story of Hannah with my Pre-K students. We talked about the faithfulness of God and his ability to answer even our most "impossible" prayers. Little did we know that God was in the midst of doing a Hannah-sized miracle in the Keller family!
On October 3rd, God showed Jack and I how truly BIG He is! We discovered, to our complete surprise and joy, that we were pregnant! Many of you know the journey that we have been on the past couple of years, but for those of you who don't...we were told that we might never be able to have biological children. I am not sure what exactly Hannah felt after the Lord allowed her to conceive Samuel, but I am sure that I felt something similar.
For days, Jack and I secretly rejoiced in this miracle! We were beyond thankful to think that in a year...we will have two miracles...our beloved Ethiopian child and a little Keller.
A huge answer to prayer was answered just days after we found out that we were pregnant. We contacted our adoption agency to find out what the protocol was for pregnant families in the process of adopting (something we had never even looked into). We found out that they were very supportive of pregnancy and allowed us to proceed as planned. It was just another evidence of God's hand upon this whole journey.
On Monday, November 3rd we went to the doctor and got to hear the baby's heartbeat! What a thrill that was. We are 10 weeks along and we are due June 7th or 8th.
Praise be to the God that does do above and beyond ANYTHING that we could ask or imagine!!
During the week of September 29th, I had the joy of sharing the story of Hannah with my Pre-K students. We talked about the faithfulness of God and his ability to answer even our most "impossible" prayers. Little did we know that God was in the midst of doing a Hannah-sized miracle in the Keller family!
On October 3rd, God showed Jack and I how truly BIG He is! We discovered, to our complete surprise and joy, that we were pregnant! Many of you know the journey that we have been on the past couple of years, but for those of you who don't...we were told that we might never be able to have biological children. I am not sure what exactly Hannah felt after the Lord allowed her to conceive Samuel, but I am sure that I felt something similar.
For days, Jack and I secretly rejoiced in this miracle! We were beyond thankful to think that in a year...we will have two miracles...our beloved Ethiopian child and a little Keller.
A huge answer to prayer was answered just days after we found out that we were pregnant. We contacted our adoption agency to find out what the protocol was for pregnant families in the process of adopting (something we had never even looked into). We found out that they were very supportive of pregnancy and allowed us to proceed as planned. It was just another evidence of God's hand upon this whole journey.
On Monday, November 3rd we went to the doctor and got to hear the baby's heartbeat! What a thrill that was. We are 10 weeks along and we are due June 7th or 8th.
Praise be to the God that does do above and beyond ANYTHING that we could ask or imagine!!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Coins for Baby Keller!
I have the privilege of being the Pre-K director at Park Christian School. Over the past month, Park students and families have been collecting "Coins for Baby Keller." Each of the grades, Pre-K through 3rd grade have been collecting spare change as a fundraiser for Jack and I to be able to bring Baby Keller home. It has been amazing to see the joy and excitement of the children as they have brought in their baggies full of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters and dollars.
Two children gave their allowance to Coins for Baby Keller for two weeks straight, two other girls held a lemonade stand in order to raise money. Children emptied out their piggy banks and did extra chores around the house to raise extra money to bring in. Jack and I were beyond blessed to see the eagerness these children had to give.
Today at chapel, Jack and I were awarded over $1700.00 that the children had raised! Amazing! Needlesstosay, we were speechless and found it hard to have the words to offer adequate thanks. Our God is our Provider - how amazing that He used each child and family in this journey to bring Baby Keller home!
The blessings continued to pour down as we discovered that all of the news stations and also the local newspaper were at chapel! God provided yet another opportunity for Jack and I to speak out about adoption and advocate for these children. What an amazing opportunity God gave us to further spread the message of adoption!
To God be the glory!!
Two children gave their allowance to Coins for Baby Keller for two weeks straight, two other girls held a lemonade stand in order to raise money. Children emptied out their piggy banks and did extra chores around the house to raise extra money to bring in. Jack and I were beyond blessed to see the eagerness these children had to give.
Today at chapel, Jack and I were awarded over $1700.00 that the children had raised! Amazing! Needlesstosay, we were speechless and found it hard to have the words to offer adequate thanks. Our God is our Provider - how amazing that He used each child and family in this journey to bring Baby Keller home!
The blessings continued to pour down as we discovered that all of the news stations and also the local newspaper were at chapel! God provided yet another opportunity for Jack and I to speak out about adoption and advocate for these children. What an amazing opportunity God gave us to further spread the message of adoption!
To God be the glory!!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
We love pizza!
Fridays mark an exciting event at our house....Pizza making night! We spent a wonderful afternoon with some good friends of ours a couple of weekends ago and she made the best pizza that we had ever eaten, so of course we had to get her recipe. Thanks Shelly! So last night Jack and I made her BBQ Chicken Pizza and it was amazing. I have to pass on the recipe to you all. Hope you enjoy!
Pizza Crust
2 1/2 C Flour
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
Mix dry ingredients together.
1 C. very warm water
1 tbsp. oil
Mix into dry ingredients with a spoon until it all sticks together. Pour onto floured surface and knead till smooth. Put in greased bowl and cover to rise (until doubled).
Roll out on floured surface and top however you want. Bake in 450 oven for about 15 minutes.
For BBQ Chicken:
Spread a thin layer of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce. Top with chopped cooked chicken, pineapple tidbits, thinly sliced onion and cheese. ENJOY!
Pizza Crust
2 1/2 C Flour
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
Mix dry ingredients together.
1 C. very warm water
1 tbsp. oil
Mix into dry ingredients with a spoon until it all sticks together. Pour onto floured surface and knead till smooth. Put in greased bowl and cover to rise (until doubled).
Roll out on floured surface and top however you want. Bake in 450 oven for about 15 minutes.
For BBQ Chicken:
Spread a thin layer of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce. Top with chopped cooked chicken, pineapple tidbits, thinly sliced onion and cheese. ENJOY!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Ethiopia...here we come!
"In love He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will - to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." Ephesians 1:5
How thankful we are to be able to be a part of the miracle of adoption. Our journey to our beloved Baby Hope is already nearing its one year anniversary. Last October is when Jack and I started praying that God would give us a love for what He loves. He did that by drawing our hearts to the orphans of the world and the great need for families to love and adopt them! We are now only months away from being referred a child from Ethiopia. We received a notice in the mail today from the Department of Homeland Security US Citizenship & Immigration Services informing us that our I-600A form is being processed and should take about 90 days. Although 90 days seems like a long time, we trust that our Creator God holds each day of this journey and we trust His Sovereign timing of events.
After our I-600A is processed, our paperwork goes over to Ethiopia and then we are officially on the waiting list! We are anticipating our new arrival sometime in 2009, and our hopes are sooner rather later.
How thankful we are to be able to be a part of the miracle of adoption. Our journey to our beloved Baby Hope is already nearing its one year anniversary. Last October is when Jack and I started praying that God would give us a love for what He loves. He did that by drawing our hearts to the orphans of the world and the great need for families to love and adopt them! We are now only months away from being referred a child from Ethiopia. We received a notice in the mail today from the Department of Homeland Security US Citizenship & Immigration Services informing us that our I-600A form is being processed and should take about 90 days. Although 90 days seems like a long time, we trust that our Creator God holds each day of this journey and we trust His Sovereign timing of events.
After our I-600A is processed, our paperwork goes over to Ethiopia and then we are officially on the waiting list! We are anticipating our new arrival sometime in 2009, and our hopes are sooner rather later.
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