Dream Morning

I have been super excited for yesterday morning! Wonderful friends from church came together with friends from away for an awesome morning focused on "Orphans". Amy did an incredible job presenting "God's Heart for Orphans" and our Biblical responsibility to pray & act!

It was so fun to meet her girls in person. http://jonandamyg.blogspot.com/

Amber and her family are just beginning the adoption process http://connectthedots-amber.blogspot.com/ Check out the new Ordinary Hero t-shirt, super cute & very comfy...the kids one with the red collar so darling!

Ellyana and her sweet friend also from Ethiopia

And we were oh, so happy to have Kristy & Charis here for a couple of nights...it was so awesome to get to catch up with Kristy and so fun to see our kids together. The girls really enjoyed being together! Kristy is the one who put together the awesome "Taste of Heaven" Lifesong Cookbook...http://kccommunicationwiththeoutsideworld.blogspot.com/

And here's our crew ready to "head out" for the morning!

Nothin' better than fun friends and a time with a great focus! May your heart be filled with Jesus & your week be blessed!

Thankfulness

Christian hands never clasp

and He doesn't give gifts for gain

because a gift can never stop being a gift-

it is always meant to be given.

taken from book

"one thousand gifts"

by ann voskamp

Havin' some fun

The Sunday School Easter Program was Sunday night...great way to be reminded of God's Love going into this season. Lots of time being spent with Consumer Reports & such trying to figure out what to do about our camera that is barely working...need to return the next one we tried... Was able to go with BJ on his 1st school bus ride to a Jiffy Factory field trip...it was nice place with nice people...makes you want to buy a Jiffy mixWe've had some wonderful weekends with visits from grandparents...didn't take good pictures...so this is it...having fun with the helicopter...the boys got to see both sets of Grandparents this weekend as they went on a 24 hour road trip with my parents...lots of fun, they are growing up too quick! We finally got to connect with some local Ethiopian adoptive families. It was a nice time & delicious to get Ethiopian food again. Ellyana ate soooo much and had so much fun with the kiddos!

She played well with the little ones & tried acting just like the big ones. They all seemed to be good natured, beautiful children!

And here she is in her Ethiopian dress one last time...it is sooo tight...took 2 of us to get her in & out of it...she just kept saying she was "stuck" (and she pretty much was ;)

And we might not have a good working camera in the house, but thankfully we have a "future" superhero...especially when the camera dates everything 2013!

We are anything but Irish...

We did enjoy some corned beef & cabbage (at least most of us did ;) We are enjoying the awesome warm weather...and we would like to wish you a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Good news re: Ethiopian adoptions...things are not settled but it sounds like there are good measures being put in place for the children of Ethiopia...to GOD be the glory, great things HE has done! If you have prayed, signed the petition, shared with a friend...or prayed some more! A very big "thank you"! Continued prayers would be in order, but for where things have come in just one week...we celebrate!

Update on Ethiopian Adoption Situation

Very well-written letters are attached...

They are very worth your time to read.

They are worth passing on to friends and family to understand the situation better. And to PRAY with fervency and urgency. This remains very serious.

http://www.jointcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Jane-Aronson-Letter-to-Pres-Clinton-March-2011.pdf

http://www.jointcouncil.org/ethiopia-washington-times-article-by-andrea-poe/

God is big, but He asks us to pray!

Why would you not do all you can?

One thing that I have been surprised at with all the news of Ethiopia adoption programs, is the lack of interest/urgency with many people that I may have considered "orphan advocates"...what is it?

*possibly too many "rumors" that have circulated, don't want to risk being a part one

*possibly a lack of seeing it as something that can truely be "influenced"

*possibly "orphan fatigue"

*or possibly, we knew changes needed to be made in international adoption, this just may be God's way of doing it

I still believe our immediate and even urgent response is right in this situation.

*Information has been supplied by very trust-worthy sources and verified.

*Things are just now being put into place, so the opportunity to influence is more open than when things are already established, see below, they are encouraging participation by Monday.

*Though it seems blog & e-mails are filled with this, but what if they "truely" were, what if everyone used their sphere of influence to contact all the people they can to really PRAY, this should be really exciting to us

*and the "hot topic" regarding orphans/adoptions...

it is going to take ALL of us in every way we can!

Above is picture of us visiting the Home of Hope in Ethiopia, local family in Ethiopia caring for orphaned kids (see Loving Shepherd side bar link). There is foster care, domestic adoption, child sponsorship programs, orphanages, programs for at-risk youth, clean water initiatives, and international adoption. These are not exclusive of each other, it is going to take all of these and many more to reach the children of the world. We can not afford to have big doors close, because we did not act, especially because we did not "care".

*So have you prayed about this situation, fervently? Do you trust that God is big enough to influence leaders? Can you pray with FAITH?

*Have you taken the minute to fill out the petition?

*Have you taken the time to contact your "sphere of influence" to encourage them to PRAY!?!

This is not a panic, this simple Biblical faith being

lived out in a practical way.

A sad day for Ethiopian adoptions

Dear Family & Friends,

Very sad news was shared that the Ethiopian government is planning to cut adoptions by up to 90%. We had heard rumors, and still there is a chance that this may not take place...please join with us to fervently pray and also to sign the on-line petition.

We know things are not "perfect" in the adoption world and so often on our adoption journeys we have felt Satan's hand trying to thwart God's plan, and yet personally, we have had 2 beautiful experiences with adoption. We have also seen the country of Guatemala virtually close to further adoptions due to government regulations. To think of all of the orphans needing families and yet having to remain in orphanages for many more years, is more than we can even bear to think. Oh, how our hearts ache for these all these kids, as we know God's heart does too!

Please pray & sign the on-line petition at

http://www.gopetition.com/petition/43714.html

Many blessings to you!
The Blume's

We count it our very great priviledge to have our precious children, and that 2 of our kids are "orphaned" no more...

And yet for those that were left behind...WE PRAY!!!!