Updated Jewelry Page

I have recently my jewelry page.  Not everything is listed but the basic styles that I have made are listed.  Again, everything is customizable.  You see something you like, let me know and I'll make it for you!!!!  Let me know if you have ANY questions.  Email jmlbettinger@yahoo.com

I will ship to the U.S.  

If you're on facebook, please visit:

www.facebook.com/PlusOneMinusOneJewelry

and "LIKE" our page!  New updates there as well!

Thanks!!!

Hurry up and ... Wait....

We've been in this adoption process only a few short months (4 to be exact - from time of moving forward with agency applications to now) and I've learned so much.  I always heard that there's lots of "hurry up and wait" times but I always thought "ack, no worries."

Now we are doing some serious waiting and although I'm not at that point where I'm going crazy, I can see how this process is taxing.

Here's what's going on with us:

Our agency reviewed our homestudy a couple of weeks ago (I need to update our "steps of the journey" page on the blog) and thought it looked fine.  There were a few minor typos that were fixed and we were given the green light.  We are officially waiting for our referral and oh how exciting that is.

However, our homestudy was also sent somewhere else and they have required more information on Mark's health.  We had his doctor write a letter and I answered a few questions and the homestudy was to be fixed.  Hopefully it's being sent back to this place here shortly so that we can move forward there.

So, once things look good from there we will still be waiting but at least there will be no other issues for the moment.

Since the beginning we have hurried up and got applications done to be sent in -- then waited to hear approval.  Then we hurried up and filled out paperwork -- then waited for the next step.  Then we hurried up and did our homestudy -- and waited.  I'm learning a lot in these times of waiting.  I think of that John Waller song:

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Takeing every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait

What a powerful song!  I will still serve Him, worship Him, and run the race even while I'm waiting.  Even though it's hard sometimes (and believe me, we are just at the "beginning" of this process so I may not even have the right to say we have waited long), I still praise Him through this entire process.  I know that His timing is perfect.  His will is perfect.  We will bring our little boy home in His timing and I wouldn't want it any other way!


It's so amazing to sit back and watch Him work in our lives and in the process of this adoption.  He's stretched us during this and will continue to do so.  He's blessed us in ways that I can't even describe.  It's been unbelievable to watch God work.  I'm excited to be going through this process with the most wonderful man ever and I'm excited to see what the future holds!  We give Him all the glory!!!!

Jewelry Shop

If you take a look up at the top of my blog, there's a page called  "Plus One Minus One Jewelry."  I'll be updating it often as I make new necklaces and designs for people.  I have a few projects that are done but I can't post because they are gifts :)

Also, if you find something that you want me to make, let me know... I can customize just about anything.

I will be getting a stamp of the continent of Africa soon! and I'm very excited about that!  Will keep everyone posted!

I've also ordered some hand-crafted Ugandan beads to add to my jewelry!  More on that to come soon! You will not want to miss them!

I stamp on all sizes of discs from 1/2" to 2".  I can make keychains and necklaces... just about anything that you can find hand stamped on etsy, I can make happen!

All proceeds will help fund our adoption! 

Blessings

Life has just been crazy lately, to say the least!  It's been a good past couple of weeks but very busy.  I have thought often of different posts that I wanted to write but time just got away from me.  The most important post that I want to write first is titled "Blessings."

His Blessings have been poured out over our family lately in HUGE ways!  I've laughed at the timing of them, cried because I was overwhelmingly humbled, and over and over have thanked Him for His definite provision.  I remember starting this whole adoption process and being completely overwhelmed by the financial aspect of it.  Paying large chunks of money in short amounts of time was a little nerve racking for me.  I knew He would provide as He had called us to this journey but it was so hard for me to let go of the control that I thought I needed to have.

I continued to think that somehow I could make it happen... and folks, I. JUST. CAN'T!  I can't do anything without Him.  I've been going through a class called The Ultimate Journey (more on that class later) and through it I have learned that I was still trying to control things in my life.  Sure, I had given some things over to Him but there were still things that I just deep down couldn't let go.  I've learned to lay it all at the foot of the cross and surrender to Him.  How freeing that is.

Back to the blessings...

Mark started Moody a week ago.  With starting Moody and also going through an international adoption at the same time, we have been praying for provision.  A couple of days before his class started, he called the financial aid office to see if there were any scholarships available - just "hanging around."  He chatted with the guy for a bit, got put on hold, and then finished the conversation by learning that the guy was just going to award him $750 just because he could.  THANK YOU, Lord!  Then, the morning that his class started, he got an email that he was awarded another scholarship!!!!  He still has a few out that are being looked over so we'll see what is to come.  We were overwhelmed to say the least!

We have had a few different blessings in the adoption arena... It really has been mind-blowing:

Jewelry sales are going great!  I'm working on posting a page at the top of my blog showing different things that I have made.  I love making jewelry for people!

Mark has been doing some various painting jobs for people on the side.  He painted professionally for many years and has his own - on the side - painting business.  He's really quite good!  It's been nice that he's been able to take on a few jobs here and there :)

A little over a week ago a sweet friend of mine randomly set up an online facebook fundraiser for us.  She had various Thirty-One Gift sets that you could purchase and all proceeds went to us to help us bring our little guy home!  I was shocked!  My phone would not to stop beeping because of all of the updates from everyone who purchased!  A dear friend even purchased a gift set and donated it back to me.  Wow.  It was so amazing to watch the body of Christ come together and get excited about supporting our family.  It was so incredibly humbling.  People I didn't even know were supporting us... amazing.

Just this weekend, we were blessed beyond belief.  Some sweet friends of ours handed over a very large donation to our adoption.  I took one look at the check and began to weep.  I was overwhelmed.  God was providing in ways that were unimaginable to me.  He was showing us that He is our provider and that He will take care of us.  He has definitely called us to adoption and I know for a fact that He will provide.  I am so very grateful.  To know that we have our friends (and so many others) who are supporting us and our family through this journey means so much.  They have caught the vision of helping the orphans and the fatherless and it's so incredibly amazing.

I think I've probably said the words "amazing" and "humbling" 1000 times in this post but there are no other words to describe how we feel.  We have been overwhelmed with love and support from friends and even those we didn't know before.

I want to say on behalf of myself and Mark THANK YOU to everyone who has prayed for us, is praying for us, has donated to our adoption, jumped in on the 31 fundraiser,  has bought jewelry, etc!  You have no idea how grateful we are.  To know that we are right where God wants us and to know that we have so much love and support behind is is truly a blessing!

Thank you, Jesus, for your provision!  I know without a doubt that with you all things are possible!

Giveaway Winner....

Congratulations to Katie (entry #5) for winning a copy of The Five Love Languages of Children! You'll love it!!!!

The 5 Love Languages of Children - ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC GIVEAWAY!!!!

Can I just tell you that I'm SUPER excited to be doing a review and giveaway for THIS AMAZING BOOK! I absolutely loved this book and I'm so excited to be sharing it with you! I think ever single parent needs a copy of The 5 Love Languages of Children by Dr. Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell... really, it's that good. I know that the information presented in this book can change the way parents relate to their children. How awesome is that!?!

Now for some info:

The 5 Love Languages of Children: http://www.5lovelanguages.com/resource/the-five-love-languages-of-children

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/5LoveLanguages

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/drgarychapman

"To be their best, children need to feel loved. But if you and your child speak different love languages, your affection might get lost in translation, affecting the child’s attitude, behavior, and development. Dr. Gary Chapman’s groundbreaking Five Love Languages series has helped millions of couples communicate love more clearly, and Dr. Ross Campbell M.D. has applied the innovative system to children as well. The 5 Love Languages of Children gives practical suggestions for learning how your children interpret love and creating a sense of security in which they can thrive."

I will say it again, I LOVED THIS BOOK. Actually, I think of it more as a resource. What great information it has on helping parents to understand the love languages of their children. This is so important to me, as a mom. I want to be able to relate the best way that I can with each of my 3 kiddos - all whom are SO different. Determining their love language, or way that they most receive and give love, is so important because it will help me to better reach inside their little hearts and love them the best way that I can. In the first chapter it says, "So to reach them, you must love on their terms." I love that! We need to figure out how to love on their terms... how to best show love to them in a way that they will receive it best!

My youngest daughter, although only just shy of her 3rd birthday, definitely has a love language of physical touch. Although the book shares that you really can't start to really determine a child's love language until around the age of 5 (because younger children love in all 5 ways all the time), I know my sweet girl has a ton of physical touch in her :) She's the only one who wants to be held and cuddled and hugged and kissed ALL. THE. TIME. Reading this book was fun in that I was able to learn more about how to relate to her through her love language. It was also fun thinking through what my other two sweet kiddos might be strong in. I can't wait until they are a little older to really determine what the predominant love language is... and then to see what comes as the secondary.

I loved many things about this book. The first being that the chapters were broken down by love language : Physical Touch, Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Gifts, Acts of Service. I am a very visual person, and I love examples and "how-to's" so this book was perfect for me. There were lots of stories to illustrate each love language, and there were many practical points at the end of each chapter of what to do if your child demonstrates a strong language of ______. I love that part because I can look back and get great new ideas on how to show love to my child in his / her particular language. Each chapter also shares things on what might be negative to a child with a particular love language.

Another concept that I love about the book is the idea of your child's love tank being filled. This concept played into many parts of the book ranging from discipline to learning. It was interesting to see the correlation between an "empty tank" and discipline issues or learning problems.

This book is more than just a book to me... it's a resource. I know that all of my highlighting will come in handy over time as I go back through and re-read particular parts. It seems so easy to love our children, right?! Well, it is but we need to remember that our children all give and receive love in different ways. If we can figure out those ways and learn to show love to them in the way that they best receive it, it will be even better!

The last thing that I want to mention (although I could write about the book for an hour) is the game in the back. It's best suited for children 5 and above but it's a great tool for determining your child's primary and secondary language. Make it fun :) Who doesn't want to learn to better love their children!

All in all, I give this book a 10 thumbs up... well, if I had 10 thumbs that is! For now, I'll give it MY TWO! Every parent needs a copy of this book! So.....

One person will be winning a copy at the end of this week!!!!!

All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog and tell me one of the many tangible ways that you show love to your children! Drawing will end on Sunday, April 15th, and the winner will be chosen randomly by random.org on Monday April 16th!!! Here we go....

Required fine print: “Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Giveaway Winner....

Congratulations to Kim!!! Your entry was picked using random.org to win a copy of A Perfect Pet for Peyton! Message me your address and we will get you your copy!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

p.s. I have more giveaways on the horizon so be looking for those :)