Culinary Adventures

I love to bake and cook. I have been in a rut for the past TOO LONG. I miss making menus and buying from organized grocery lists, knowing exactly what to cook, and yet, I have had no motivation. This balancing game of housework, child rearing, homeschooling, trying to exercise, and keeping up with my relationship with Jesus is just too much! BUT, I have felt the passion and desire rekindling, and so I've enjoyed some experimenting in the past few weeks. I've often thought to take pictures of the process, but it hasn't happened. Hopefully it will soon. I'm actually considering taking some cooking classes that I have found close by. They are kind of pricy, but oh, the thought of perfecting my baguettes and the thought of learning how to make sumptuous homemade pasta is SO alluring. In the meantime, I'll share some of what I've been up to, and will try to get some pictures up the next time I bake. One of the things I've been doing is cooking with more whole grains. I'm actually waiting for a whole grain baking book, and I hope it comes in the next few days. Who am I kidding? I hope it comes today, so that I can revel in it while Rich is gone to Philly for work this week. There's nothing like pouring over a cookbook.

Okay, I've made:
Orange Cranberry Muffins
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
Applesauce Banana Muffins
Homemade Potstickers
Banana Blueberry Bran Muffins

All were YUM! All had mostly healthy ingredients, and my kids ate them. Yeah!

Our Adoption Story

Sorry for the quality of the picture, I'm not sure why my camera did such a nasty job. This picture was taken on Naomi's second birthday.

As long as I can remember, I've wanted to adopt. I used to joke with a friend in college, that we would both remain single, and open a home for children with disabilities, adopting them all. Ha! Anyways, I've also suspected that I might have issues with conceiving, considering my cycles were never regular.

I met Rich, and we soon talked marriage. He told me from the get go that there would be issues growing our family. He had had a vas in a previous marriage. That said, we opted for a reversal, and talked to my Dr. about my fertility issues. I was then diagnosed with PCOS.

Rich went through the reversal 5 months after we were married, 6 months after that, we were told that the reversal was a failure. We felt like we were in a pit. I had always dreamed of also carrying children and nursing my children...what was going on.

I prayed and prayed. I could have named at that time EVERY SINGLE miraculous pregnancy mentionned in the Bible. I pleaded with God for a miracle. I also prayed that if pregnancy was not HIS will for my family, that He would change my heart.

One day, as if it was written in Bold and Underlined, ALL the passages about the orphan and fatherless. I was gung ho! Let the adoption adventures begin.

It took a little more time for Rich to be ready. While he was open to adopting, he was also considering ways to start a family biologically. We spoke about the financial repercussions to our choices and what we wanted. One day Rich came home and told me that he was ready to adopt. He said that adoption was EVERYWHERE! TV, Radio, Newspaper...God was surrounding him adoption stories.

For some agencies Rich was too old. For others, I was too young. Rich had previously been married. We didn't have enough money. The list of things went on and on. One day, while praying and looking about the living room, I looked at a carving a friend had brought me back from the country of Haiti. It was a Madonna and child. I began researching adoption in Haiti. I found a photolisting and looked at the requirements. Haiti seemed to be the country for us. Within a few months, we were going through our homestudy and gathering the documents for our dossier.

I'll never forget the day I "found" Simeon. I was looking at our placing agencies photolisting, and came upon Simeon's picture. He seemed so peaceful and serene. Rich was not due to come home for lunch that day, and I was begging God. How could I wait until the end of the day. To my surprise and delight, Rich came home for lunch, late. I ran out the door and actually fell and skinned my knee. Rich was busy asking if I was alright, while I was frantically trying to get him into the door, to the computer to see the picture of Simeon. Within the hour, our baby boy was put on hold and we were expectant parents.

3 months after finding Simeon, I was able to go visit and spend some time with him in Haiti. I'll never forget the moment I held Simeon in my arms. I describe that moment as the moment I became a mother. He looked up into my eyes and smiled. My heart melted, and I was changed. Before leaving Simeon in Haiti, I cried and cried. God blessed me with the opportunity to meet Simeon's birthmom. After meeting her, I was still heartbroken over saying goodbye, and as I sobbed, I heard God ask, " If she can give him away for a life time, how much more can you entrust him into My arms until I give him back." What could I answer, my leaving was still difficult, but I thought of that encounter with God often.

Things began to deteriorate in Haiti, soon after my return to the US. Our US placing agency left us, and took all the money we had prepaid. We were left with staggering child support fees for the orphanage and the rest of the legal process. Many times I asked God where He was, and why it was so hard. I was reminded that God had a plan. In April, 9 1/2months after beginning our process with Simeon himself, we brought him home. What a great day that was.

5 years later, we were in a position to adopt again. We wanted to return to Haiti, but after the difficulties of the last adoption, we decided to be wise about our agencies and asked around. There were two agencies that were recommended to us. To our dismay, NEITHER agency would work with us. One agency was closed to incoming parents completely (laws had changed and they could not process adoptions fast enough, to make room for new adoptions) and one agency refused us because of Rich's biological daughter. ( I believe this was God because I knew for a fact of a couple that was adopting through this agency that was carrying a bio child.)

We decided after much trepidation to go forward with a domestic adoption. A couple of months after being ready with our agency, we were matched with a young woman who was due with a baby girl in just 6 weeks. God's fingerprints were just all over this adoption. From providing friends with me to stay with in the city in which she was being born, to friends in our home church providing free airfare for my trip. Naomi was born, and she has been with me/us ever since. Again, I"m flying over the details, but the agency we worked with has since closed and we were very blessed to be able to finalize our adoption. Not many couples that worked with that agency had such happy endings, many of them in fact suffered from crushed dreams.

Adoption has been a blessing! If I had to do it all over again, knowing the hardships and obstacles that would arise, we definitely would. Even now, given the resources, I'm sure that we would adopt again. The thing is, adoption while joyful, is also wrought with loss and sadness. Its a delicate balance. A balance that I am learning everyday as I love on the two blessings that God has blessed me with!

Canine Addition

Well, after talking about getting a dog for a few years, and talking ourselves out of it, we adopted Sealy yesterday. She is a sweet and sensitve dog, who loves to play, is great with kids. She's part hound, and walking her is somewhat of a challenge. She's already getting better, but when she gets a whiff of something, she's off and trying to run. A little over 24 hours since she came home, and I'd say we're smitten.

Naomi loves her from afar for the most part, but we have found her using sealy as a pillow and trying to kiss her gently. She greeted her from her nap wiht a wave and a, " Hi, doggie."

Simeon is in doggie heaven. He has so wanted a dog for so long. Poor dog is going to die of being overly loved, pet and brushed. He keeps wanting to teach her tricks. I keep telling him that he needs to wait until she sits, lays down and comes consistently. I wouldn't change their dynamic for the world though. He was hurrying us home from church because he wanted to see his dog, he missed her.

Easter Pics!

Recent Pics...

Open letter to an awesome husband!

Dear Rich,

You are such an amazing man. I love how involved you are with the kids. How you take time to really savor and enjy time with them. Somethimes, I'm in such a rush to tick things off my to do list, but you remind me of the gift of time. Thank you! You know, we often tell Trisha that God will surpass anything she could ever dream or imagine if she surrenders to Him. How TRUE! You are so much better than any quality or person I would have ever dreamed up for a husband.

I know that you are a little nervous about the lack of overtime and travel. I know God will get us through another rough patch. You know, I read today that experts say that 78% of ALL second marriages end before 7 years. I am so thankful for a God who moves in our lives and brings us and grows us together despite those scary statistics.

I LOVE YOU Rich! I look forward to many more years of discovering what God has in store for us. What an adventure He has set before us.

Jessie

Just an Update...

Well, altogether we have raised $1646 dollars. I am continually amazed at everyone's generosity and support. We are looking forward to a bakesale a week from tonight. May I encourage you to actively seek news on Haiti. Heartlineministries.org has a great blog with up to date stories of what they are doing there. While the major news networks have gone onto other news stories, the real story of Haiti and its rebuilding and healing is VERY MUCH new and recent, it will take years to rebuild, and we must not forget!

Phil, thanks for the shout out in your blog post! We appreciate your support!