Suffer the little children…

As most of you know I have a passion for parentless children.  Whether that be orphans in Haiti or foster children here in the United States, I believe in the promise of Psalm 68:6 where the Bible says:

God sets the lonely in families…

I love that verse.  If you want to be further inspired about this important topic, my friend Kim is guest posting on @RealLifeSarah’s blog.  You can read her touching story here.

Then read below to see how you can get more information about an organization that finds forever families for children that need them.

Last year AdoptUsKids hosted two adoption chats on Twitter.  As a result, some Twitter users actually made the decision to move forward with the adoption process.

If you missed our earlier events, please join us for a live Twitter party later this month, sponsored by AdoptUsKids. AdoptUsKids is a national project whose role is to recruit and connect foster and adoptive families with waiting children throughout the United States.

Funded by the Children’s Bureau of the Administration for Children and Families, AdoptUsKids hosts a national photo listing website contains photos and information about children in foster care waiting for families to adopt them. You may have seen some of the Public Service Announcements with the message “You don’t have to be perfect to be a perfect parent.”

Each year the campaign has a specialized target, based on the needs of children in care.  This year’s focus is finding homes for African-American children in care, who make up 31% of the children waiting to be adopted. African-American children are overrepresented in the foster care population relative to their percentage in the U.S. general population. Because of this, African American children often wait longer to be adopted.

To learn more about adopting from foster care and how to help spread the word about children in care waiting for a forever family, please visit AdoptUsKids. To search for children in your area, visit the AdoptUsKids Child Search.

Please join us Tuesday, February 23rd from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. EST on Twitter for a safe and open informational chat about the benefits of adoption, as well as adoption from foster care with representatives from AdoptUsKids.

To participate, please follow @AdoptUsKids and @resourcefulmom, and use the hashtag #AdoptUsKids. Facebook users may also wish to become a fan of AdoptUsKids on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AdoptUsKids.

This campaign is brought to you by Global Influence Network.

To be honest…

I had a post prepared about a hilarious outing we had last night…a comical attempt to free our deep freezer from the home that is for sale after *someone* bought too much meat at a BOGO sale to fit in the itty bitty teen tiny freezer in the kitchen of our current home.

But that post will have to wait.

There is this temptation on a blog (at least for me) to glaze over the uglier parts of life.  The aspects of our lives that aren’t going so well, our failures and struggles.  I usually try to be honest and authentic in this space but lately have found myself writing “fluff” in a desire to avoid writing about the deeper, sometimes uglier issues I need to write about.

Now please don’t think that writing funny stories about my kids and posting pictures of my dogs aren’t important to me- on the contrary, for sure.

But, when those are the majority of my posts- well, those of you  that have read my blog for any length of time know that is not congruent with the purpose of this blog.

I am struggling to figure out how to raise tweens and teens in this culture and society.

I am spending too much time on Twitter and Facebook to avoid writing the things God has called me to write.

I am bogged down in the heavy reality that bad things happen in this fallen world and there is nothing I can do to stop it.

Maybe it is being snowed in, maybe it is circumstance, maybe (or most likely) it is conviction.

Whatever it is, I am unwrapping the need to be honest and get back on my path.

Psalm 127:1 reminds us that:

Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain (their work is useless)

My work here is feeling quite useless lately.  All I can ask is that you hang in there while I figure this blogging thing out (all over again)…

This post is linked here.

Sheer Bliss

Having your expectations exceeded is such an exciting thing.  And that is exactly what happened for me this weekend while attending a blogging conference called Blissdom.

My husband, the concrete, analytical thinker that he is wanted to know what I learned in the sessions.

I learned a lot in the sessions…I learned how to be introspective in the writing craft wisdom workshop, I was inspired during the opening keynote, I discovered I have veered {slightly but noticeably} from the voice I want my blog to have.

Those things were important and I am glad I was able to explain all that to my husband so he could be comfortable with the ROI of the conference.

But, I learned so much more that can’t be measured and in some cases, by those that don’t do what I do online everyday, can’t be understood.

I learned that when you get a group of women together, excited to have the opportunity to dress up but regretting their shoe choice, we will tuck our skirts beneath us and get comfy.

Photo credit of Casey

I learned that you can have a roomie, whom have only conversed with on Twitter and Facebook, and feel like kindred spirits {inserting Anne of Green Gable speak} immediately.  Frelle, you rock!

I learned that God will position you to meet and speak with exactly the women you are supposed to. And that He will use the impromptu chats on the floor at the (in)courage party to confirm what you already knew you are supposed to be doing {but had been putting off due to fear}.  Thanks, Emily.

I remembered that although I enjoy looking at, cooing at and holding other people’s babies, I am fine with being done with that stage of life.

I discovered that if your flight gets canceled due to the blizzard of the century and you decide to rent a car and drive home, Jessie is the gal you want to ride with {but be warned that she will have you laughing so hard you will not be able to see the speedometer through your tears and the Virginia State Police don’t take kindly to going 79 in a 65}

Thank you Alli and Barbara for putting together a phenomenal conference and to all the sponsors that made it possible- you rock too!

Thanks to Aircut for sponsoring my trip!

This post is linked to Tuesdays Unwrapped and Musings of a Housewife

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Yes Mom

Geometry- check

English 9 honors- check

Spanish II- check

Mama ready to burst into tears at scheduling her son’s classes for HIGH SCHOOL next year- check

Every fiber of my being wants to shout NO to all this growing up stuff.  No to girls that are way too forward, no to Facebook, no to later bedtimes, no to…well, I just find myself wanting to say no to anything that resembles my boys growing up.

I was challenged to say yes to my kids this week. Just one day into the challenge and I realize that, for me, saying yes doesn’t have to do with one more bedtime story, making mud pies or candy at the check out line anymore.

Saying yes to my boys at this stage means relinquishing the need to control everything, letting them make some mistakes in the name of independence, and

MOST IMPORTANTLY

deciding to not fight the inevitable but rather make the choice TODAY to

say yes.

Yes to enjoying this awkward (often smelly) stage of life my boys are in

Yes to cherishing the past while taking the time to savor each moment of the present

Yes to watching them grow into the men God designed them to be

Yes to being a mama of growing up boys.

I’m unwrapping my role and embracing it {and trying to ignore the literal searing pain in my chest at the thought of Jared going to high school next year}

Join us here for more Unwrapped posts…

Mamavation Monday

I am so proud of the Mamavation moms and Leah Segedie from Bookieboo for coming up with the concept.

I had fallen off the Mamavation wagon during the holidays although I was able to make some changes like eliminating soda from our house, switching to all whole grains and trying to increase my physical activity.

Today, I want to focus on a friend’s Mamavation journey, so please read this:

Guest Post by Katie Hostetter at Frugal Femina

If you follow me on Twitter, you know exactly what the word “mamavation” means, because I have been eating, sleeping, and breathing it since I applied on January 1st. I am fortunate to have some followers left! Basically, it’s a 7-week boot camp to help 2 moms get fit in 2010, and it’s supported by Smooth Fitness, Earth Footwear, EA SPORTS Active, Gaiam, Bookie Boo, and MomTV. The team gives you a ton of support with a nutritional plan, a fitness program, and much more! You can watch my application video and read all about my lil’ journey over at Frugal Femina.

I am so blessed to have made it into the top 5 finalists. Now I need you to vote daily so I can make it into the final 2! I already shared my measurements with thousands of people, so you know I am committed! But seriously, this is all part of my quest to make 2010 one of the most positive years ever. I’m finishing up my last semester of nursing school, reading through the Bible in 90 days, taking care of Xon and Bradley {aka Hubs and Little Munchkin}, and trying to take care of myself, too! I’m not Superwoman, but I do want to focus on good things this year and surround myself with good friends and family.

So I’m hopin’ you’ll cheer me on and head on over to Mamavation and vote. You can vote once a day from each IP address through the 21st. And I won’t mind a bit if you happen to spread the word amongst your friends. Maybe I can encourage you all along the way! Mamavation is a great network of support, and you can be involved whether you have 200 pounds to lose or 0. We all need to stay healthy and fit!

Special thanks to Andrea at Mommy Snacks for being my Fit Friend and encouraging me throughout this campaign.

Technology and Marriage- a match made in?

I haven’t participated in Wifey Wednesday, hosted by To Love, Honor and Vacuum in quite a while.  But when I read Sheila’s topic for the day I knew God was sending me a message.

I have many friends (in real life) who complain about the amount of time their hubby’s sit in front of the TV, surf the ‘net or engage in gaming (online or video games)

I can’t relate to their issue…but boy, can my husband!

About a year and a half ago, I stumbled across a blog and the rest is history.  I am hooked.  I love blogging.  I love writing.  I love reading other’s posts and connecting with other fabulous women through the internet.

That is not a bad thing.

It becomes a problem when I allow the computer to become an idol in my life.  When I allow Twitter or Facebook updates to become more important than my marriage.  When I say “just give me a minute” as my children clamor for my attention.  That type of behavior is a bad thing.

All the enemy needs in our life is a foothold.  Yes, I feel called by God to engage in the activities on the ‘net that I do (with the exception of Bejeweled ).  However, I have felt convicted since last fall that I was sending a (albeit unintended) message to my family that they are not priorities in my life by needing to look up from my laptop to give them my attention.

So, I did something about it.

I prayed and asked God what I needed to relinquish (some writing commitments, a radio show and a website), what I needed to cut back on (twitter, facebook, time spend blog surfing) and I set a schedule.  This new way of doing things has worked for me since the fall.  As a matter of fact, I have been blessed with several new opportunities that fall within that schedule!  Go God!!

When the internet is a source of income Starbucks money there is a certain amount of time networking, maintaining relationships and actually working that needs to be done.  It is a lie of the enemy that you can do that without a plan and not negatively impact your family.

I set hours for my computer use.  I don’t have the computer on after the kids and hubby get home unless they are otherwise occupied.  I take Sunday’s off from posting.  I plan posts ahead of time (this was hard for me, as I like to write as the mood strikes but I got used to it).  I have said no to opportunities that require me to be online in the evening.

It is possible to juggle (notice, I did not say balance) this unique world of blogging, internet marketing and social media.

Do you agree?  Do you struggle with this?  How do you handle this special juggling act?

Somebody to love me….

Wondering if you are worth anything to anyone…

Wondering if anyone cares about your future….

Wondering if this is what the rest of your life will look like…

Wondering if there is a point to even trying to do your best because no one is there to notice….

I will never forget the year+ that I spent in the US foster care system.  It was a scary and lonely time, full of disappointment, full of experiences I would rather not remember.  I was moved to three different homes in that short period of time (the last family was a sweet Christian family that I will always remember with fondness) and I was separated from my brothers for the first time in my life.

People forget that the majority of children in the foster care system are there because of something their parents did or did not do, not because of something the children have done.

These are not “bad” children, they are children that need to know what unconditional love and permanency look like.

November is National Adoption Month.  Obviously, children in the foster care system are close to my heart due to my personal experience as a child.  I am also an adoptive parent of a child who needed a mom after his biological mother’s parental rights were terminated due to her abuse and neglect.  I am proud to use my platform, my blog to tell you about an organization dedicated to helping foster kids find their forever families.

The mission of AdoptUsKids is to recruit and connect foster and adoptive families with waiting children throughout the United States.  Funded by the Children’s Bureau of the Administration for Children and Families, the national photolisting website contains photos and information about children in foster care. A national adoption public service advertising recruitment campaign was launched in July 2004 in a partnership of the Children’s Bureau, the Ad Council, and AdoptUsKids, with the goal of raising awareness of the significant number of children in this country waiting to be adopted. New PSAs have been developed as an extension of this highly successful campaign. The latest series of ads in this award-winning campaign target the African American community, in keeping with the effort to diligently recruit from communities representative of the children in care.  Thirty-one percent of the children in foster care waiting to be adopted are African American; African American children are overrepresented in the foster care population relative to their percentage in the U.S. general population. Because of this, African American children often wait longer to be adopted.

Please take a moment and visit http://www.adoptuskids.org/adoption-and-foster-care-advocacy/ to learn more about adoption from foster care and how to help spread the word about children in care waiting for a forever family. You can also search for children in their area by visiting: http://www.adoptuskids.org/Child/ChildSearch.aspx.

If you are on Twitter you can follow @perfectparent (http://twitter.com/perfectparent or http://twitter.com/adoptuskids) and become a fan of AdoptUsKids on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AdoptUsKids.

I was fortunate enough to have grandparents that were awarded custody of me so I didn’t have to spend a prolonged period of time in the foster care system.  There are MANY children that are not that fortunate.  Please consider how you can help them.

This campaign is brought to you by Global Influence, the former Momfluence network.