Gifts!

My beautiful husband remembered my birthday this year with the most precious gift for me. I had been looking all over on line for a different necklace that would mean something just to me- for our next adoption. WE found one- but it was in England and way out of our means! As I was looking about, I can across a new friend's site and she has the most wonderful hand made and designed jewelry. I loved almost every piece.

But the piece that came alive for me is the hands all over Africa. I love this- My guy had a special note engraved on the back too! As you can see, this is just a wonderful piece.


My children go me this beautiful piece for Christmas- I do have hope for Africa and for the rest of the world and the crisis that the world is in.

I just wanted to share this beautiful work that Tracy does. And to mention that her heart is so in adoptions. She is a new grandma to an adopted child from Ethiopia. If you are interested in seeing more of Tracy's work- her site is www.junkposse.etsy.com

Just hop over and visit her shop, tell her I sent you!!!

I am very thankful for everyone that is helping in this world crisis of orphans. I wish that I knew what more that I can do- As Mother Teresa wrote- a person can not change the whole world, but you can change the world one diaper at a time.

I am changing my world one child at a time.

Blessings, P

A Child Waits

Throughout our process of this adoption, we've applied to an armload of foundations that offer grants and loans to families who are in the adoption process. The beautiful people at these foundations know the financial hardships involved in adoptions, especially international adoptions. I don't know first hand, but I'm sure they each receive hundreds if not thousands of applications from adopting parents. They have to sift through them to find families that are in the most desperate situations financially and that reflect a common moral and/or religious background.

As the economy drags and lags along, these foundations are finding themselves in dire straits, just like the rest of the world community. Several of the foundations that we applied to responded that they would love to help us, but because of lack of funding, they were unable to. Several have either closed their doors or suspended operations until a time when they receive more funding.

Pam and I ARE VERY THANKFUL that we received a grant from "A Child Waits", http://www.achildwaits.org/. Some foundations gear toward certain parent types, and some gear toward certain orphan types. This loving group of people help with adoptions of any type. That is special in and of itself.

For those of our readers who are looking for ways of helping in this orphan crisis around the world, but don't feel lead to adopt...GIVE. Give your money (that's the easiest thing), give of yourself to organizations like A Child Waits, help raise awareness in your community. There are many, many foundations out there that could use your help.

Thank you for your help in this world crisis.

Family, Friends, all who know us well!!

We have turned off the home phone and have gone completely to cell phones- If you need our cell numbers, email us.

Love
the Johnson's

Pictures!

I love the way L put the pages together!!

Daughtors and granddaughtor!

The cutest of all! My love R

The daughtors...

All of us together- ;)

Here are some more pictures of my Christmas gift!!

Priceless..................... Thank you again Honey

Thank you L!

pieces of my Heart........




My beautiful daughter made me the MOST precious Christmas gift. She scrap-booked some of our family memories together..... I LOVE IT!!!




This is one of my favorites- My little grandson, R- is so trusting of his grandma and he just loves the ocean, and grandma loves having him visit us here.

This is a great photo of my 3 grand babies- As my grandchildren are on different coasts- pictures together are hard to come by! I really love this one.

This is some of the clan walking on ahead of L and me. They were intent on finding shells and starfish. L and I were intent on talking and watching as memories were being made.....

My book has a page with grandpa and R- R loves the ocean! I love my scrap-book, and it almost makes me want to scrap-book!! Someday, I will put together pages like this- Someday!! but until I do, I am so lucky to be blessed with a daughter that makes wonderful memories for me. Thank you -L !!! I love you...

Mom

The Kid's 1st Snowman

Monday night we knew there was going to be snow. You would have thought we were going to have a second Christmas or planning a trip to Disney World! The kids were all so excited. When I left for work Tuesday, it at just begun, but by noon it was coming down in earnest. We got about 2 inches worth; most all of it accumulated on the grass and not the pavement. When I got home I was greeted by this 3 1/2 ft tall snowman in the drive way. They were so proud of their very first snowman. It is so cute, too bad it will probably be gone by the time we get home tonight.

Walking On Water

Saturday we woke up to 20 degree temps outside and to find ice on the sound behind our house. Obviously we don't get a lot of snow here, but ever so often it gets cold enough to freeze over the water. Of course, what do I hear first thing in the morning? "Dad, can we go walk on the ice?!?" Now, I pride myself in being a thoughtful dad. So I think to myself..."If one of these kids falls through the ice and gets pneumonia or worse, Pam is going to KILL me." Pam was at a friends house. In a matter of a couple of seconds, I pictured a few worse case scenarios. So I say what any loving and cautious dad should say in the face of these kinds of circumstances..."Yeah sure. Go ahead, just be careful." And I go get the camera. Who am I to put a wet blanket on kids just being kids.

And what do I see when I first step outside? Three kids standing tightly together on thin ice looking down into the water. OK, I never said that they were all members of Mensa. "Hey, you guys might want to spread out and not put all your weight into one spot." The edge of the ice is about 30 feet away and there are soft areas where the water is coming through each time one of them presses their feet down. So, I took a few memorable shots. It only took about 15 minutes before their shoes starting getting wet and they came inside.

It's memories like these that make being a kid just down right fun.

Time:
yes, I am still on that subject, sort of!!

Just when I think that I have "a handle on" the time frame for the next few months of our lives, a real curve ball is tossed at me.

In life, we usually go with what we know, or what has worked for us in the past, understanding how long things took in the past, judging on all of that for the future. You get the idea-
Well, this is our 3rd adoption. I thought I had a handle on it.... To bring home our precious son from China, it took from start to finish almost 3 years. Juan and I were newly married, he had just finished his grad school- it was a long wait, but we were very busy with life.

Our second adoption was from Ethiopia. Our "D" had been praying for a brother every night for months on end. We decided to adopt again Super Bowl Sunday - the end of Jan 2006. We went to Ethiopia to pick up our beautiful children July 8, 2006- YES, start to finish 6 months-- Feb to July.

So in my mind, I am thinking, "Ok, start to finish,6 months for this, our 3rd adoption". I know, I know- you adoptive parents out there reading this can pick yourselves up off the floor from your laughter!!-- Our Social Worker told us that things were taking longer this time around. So, I thought - longer i.e..- a week, 2 maybe, 3 for each step in the process--

NOT in a million years did my mind ever consider MONTHS longer for each step. Juan and I believed that we could bring the children home for Christmas. Well, when Christmas passed, we were thinking hopefully travel by the end of Feb.

We now realize that we will be lucky if we are traveling by June. Yesterday as I was being told this, I was just dying inside- I know that God is in control, and those wonderful kids that soon will be "Johnson's" are in God's hands. They will get here to the states in God's correct and right time. I am waiting on the Lord.....

But this is not my timing- I have given this over to the Lord, and I am sure I will have to do this everyday!- I want my babies home. I want to hold them, love them, comfort them, feed them, and most of all tell them all about Jesus.

This is in God's time table not mine.

Some might ask, is God punishing us, or is the devil trying to trip us up in this life? I don't think so, I think that it is God giving us the chance to show His grace, that He can hold us up while we wait.

I think it is God giving us and His people a time to pray for a miracle to bring the kids home sooner. To be able to show God's power, if it is His will for that to happen.

It is more time for Juan and I to be praying for our hearts, the hearts of our kids here at home, and for our new little ones hearts in Africa- for all of us to be ready to be a family.

It is more time for Juan and I to be praying for a miracle for the rest of the funds needed to pay for this 3rd adoption. WE still need our traveling funds +. There is a chance that because of timing of the trip, Juan will not be able to go with me.



We are asking for everyone that we know to PRAY for these miracles. For the children, both there and here, for the paperwork to go as fast as possible, for the right person to travel with me to Africa, and for the funds to come in.

WE know that we are doing what God wants us to do. So, we KNOW that all of the above things will happen in HIS time. I believe this and I am standing on this.


Please help us with anything that you can. PRAYER, prayer and more prayer, donations, funds, buying dolls, and most of all PRAYER.

Time is such a hard thing to give to God.

Blessings, Pam

For the Lord is GOOD;and his love endures forever, his faithfulness continues through all generations.. -- Psalm 100:5

MY PRAYER: In a world of change and undependability, thank you, dear Father, for being sure, steadfast, and faithful. In a time when everyone seems to want something from me or out of me, thank you,dear Father, for repeatedly and consistently blessing me. Thank you for being more enduring than the mountains and more glorious than the most beautiful sunrise. In the name of Jesus, your Son and my glory. Amen.

TIME

Time.

Time Lost.

Time wasted.

Time that is just gone and you can't get it back.....

Time- I got in the mail "The Houghton Academy News", the newsletter from the high school I attended and graduated from. Now, I have gotten these newsletters in the past, many times. I'm not sure what was different a few days ago- Maybe the theme of the newsletter- Thinking globally- It is a small world, after all...WOW- isn't that like my family?!- And like our lives. Maybe because it is my birthday tomorrow and "time" is just moving on so fast...What am I doing to Change My World??

With the Internet at my fingertips, I looked up Houghton- Great web site (anyone looking for a wonderful Bible believing high school- check it out ) and I had so much fun putting in my profile in my graduating class, adding pictures and my blog site. As I'm doing this, I wonder when someone from my class might be just looking at the site??? It was fun to catch up on the kids that I attended school with- the classes before and after my class.

Where am I going with the TIME LOST, just gone....

The high school I attended taught the Word of God, wonderful chapels, Christian teachers, Christian dorm parents etc. But I missed it- At that time in my life I played at being a christian, when the times suited me- I knew deep in my heart that I really didn't believe. I missed the boat in so many ways.

TIME- I found the Lord, The Lord found me- 12 years ago- I graduated from high school 38 years ago- --ALL THOSE LOST YEARS of time that I could have been praising, worshipping Jesus, my Saviour.

Now, I am not overly kicking myself- We can not undo the past- And sometimes we need things to be in our lives to be able to find Jesus in a real way.

I have TIME again now, as I am waiting for our precious new children to arrive. I am not wasting my time, this time. Now, I am worshipping, praising and working for the Lord as I am waiting. I am watching, to keep on catching the "waves" of the things that God wants me to be doing as we wait.

The Lord is so GOOD. He has not wasted any of the "times" that I have gone thru in the first 40 some years. He is using all of the things that have happened in my life to share with others on this path, this journey of life - to get us to the real life with Christ.

Blessings, Pam

Out of the mouths of babes

Six years ago we chose our son "D" from China. He was three years old when we brought him home so he has no memory of his birth home. Of course that's not unusual. He just knows what we tell him whenever he asks, or when the subject comes up in conversation. He knows that he had a beautiful mother who loved him so much that she felt that she would not be able to care for him as much as another parent (adoptive) could. You see, he was born with a cleft lip and pallet. This can be expensive to care for here in the US and nearly impossible to afford for the average family in China. "D" had lived in an orphanage from birth until he was over 3 years old. Our Lord brought this little angel (now a tiger cub) to us and He has been providing for us ever since.

Well, the other day "D" and "J", his little brother by 2 years, were being watched by a close friend of Pam's for the day. It was during the Christmas break and the girls were gone to Winterfest at Liberty University for the week. Anyway, Pam's friend happened by the room the boys were playing in and overheard a part of their conversation. What she heard stopped her in her tracks...

"D" was talking to "J"..."You're lucky, 'cause you had a mom and a dad before you came here and now you have another mom and a dad. That means you have two moms and two dads. I didn't have a mom and a dad before, just them. We have a great mom and dad."

THIS from a 9 year old! Pam's friend didn't go in or say anything to the boys about this. She just passed it on to Pam. Who then passed it on to me (through tears, of course).

Things like this gives us more strength and courage to go on and it provides yet another answer for that oft asked question...Are you crazy?!?!

why?

Why,
New pictures from Soddo, Ethiopia, our kids birthplace.

Why?

We are often asked WHY?

Why would we adopt FOUR kids, moreless adopt THREE kids more, making a total of SEVEN kids? A WONDERFUL total of twelve Children in all.

Why would we do this?

Why devote our lives to this "cause" (if you can truly even call it that, we do not).

Here's why:

BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THIS LIFE IS NOT OUR OWN.

Because we believe that in the end, it won't matter what career ladders we climbed or financial investments we made or what gadgets we could afford.

It will matter that seven lives were saved. AND THAT IS THE BEGINING OF THE CIRCLE OF LIVES CHANGED

Because we have seen hopelessness firsthand in Ethiopia and China and elsewhere, but believe in all HOPE that each child is a child of God.

Because we believe that the orphaned street child who plays street soccer on the rough pavement of the streets of Addis Ababa is no less valuable to the Creator than the polished child on a suburban soccer team here in America.

Because we see nothing more worthy of our focus, time, resources, and lives.

BECAUSE INJUSTICE IS A WRONG WORTH RIGHTING.

Because the poor child is still a child.

Because we know that, while adoption is not the solution in and of itself to the orphan crisis 143 million times over, we have seen with our own lives how it rescues the lives of those who can be adopted.

Because we believe that Jesus died for redemption, not just for eternity, but for our lives on this planet and we believe we can be vessels of that redemption for children's lives here.

Because we know that, if it were our own flesh and blood, we would want someone to love them and be called to be their family,

Because, really, these kids are no different from your own. Not at all.

Because it's just not okay with us to say no to a child who needs a home when we have a home to give.

Because it's just not okay with us to say no to a child who needs a family when we have a family to give.

Because it's just not okay with us to say no to a child who needs room to thrive when we have room and can make room.

Because it's just not okay with us to do nothing.

Because it's just not going to be okay to do nothing.

"Rescue the perishing; don't hesitate to step in and help. If you say, "Hey, that's none of my business," [i.e. "that's not for me"] will that get you off the hook? Someone is watching you closely, you know— Someone not impressed with weak excuses." -Proverbs 24:12 (The Message)

Happy New Year!

New beginnings and all that stuff.

This morning I took the ornaments off of the Christmas tree (under Pam's VERY watchful eyes) and put the tree back in its box. As I was taking off the ornaments and setting them on the sofa for Pam to put away in their little boxes or whatever, I had a chance to reflect on the different ornaments that we've collected over our years together. Pam has made a lot of them, some soft stuffed kinds, some painted balls, some whimsical, so rather "traditional". She's one crafty little woman - I love her for that. We have ornaments that kids have made and have their names on them. We have the kind that we bought at art festivals and people painted our names on them. We have one with just me and Pam; one with us and our dog Cookie, then the kids start coming and they get bigger and bigger. I seriously doubt we'll be able to find an ornament with 7 kids on it, but we'll try. It'll be huge! LOL

Everybody should have a tree in their home with all the memories hanging from them. I'm not much into theme Christmas trees but a memory theme doesn't sound so bad.

We'll, I'm starting my obligatory diet - again. Over the years, I've probably lost a cumulative ton and gained it back. I'm going to start running as soon as I get over this cold (hey, I'm not procrastinating, really!). I want to run in our local marathon this coming November. I promised myself that I'd run one before I was 50. Times running out - fast. I ran a half marathon once and I didn't die, so I figured I could do this. I wish I had a running partner for the weekend long runs. It's hard to find a partner who's at a similar skill level as yourself.

We're still praying for a miracle that someone will "accidentally" send our dossier through to the courts way ahead of schedule. Pam keeps asking me to set up the kids' rooms to accomodate the new ones, but I don't want to do that because it will make the waiting that much harder. I'll do it as soon as we get a court date.

Well, I hope that everyone sets a goal of doing something new, daring, and exciting this year. Step out of your comfort zones, go beyond the norm, do more than what is expected. If you really want to make a splash - make a huge sacrifice for someone or some cause that will not be able to give back or even say thank you. Go beyond you, and make it about someone else.

God Bless!