John:14:18

I will not leave you as orphans. I will come for you...John 14:18
This is a sweet reminiscence of our adoption journey to our son.

Thursday, September 10, 2015

We are coming!





As we drive away from our little home, It's such a bittersweet feeling. 
We're super excited to get our sweet girl home and super bummed to be leaving our loved ones. Leaving the flock to get the one isn't easy.  ðŸ˜¢ 

I snapped this picture this morning as I was getting Q off to school. 
Lydia has a bug and I hate leaving her sick. 
Chu had nightmares in the night and he ended up in our bed. His happy face hides so much.

Praying for their little hearts and that they'll forgive us for leaving and accept there new Mei Mei (sister) easily. I pray they'll quickly become the trio troublemakers. 😜


It's just as hard to leave this guy! It doesn't get easier just cause they are older. 



We've had quite a few obsticales this week. Satan DOES NOT want this baby girl to come home! He has thrown quite a few things our way.  We had a water leak in our crawl space and Shane's been sick just to name a few... 

We had a very similar week right before we committed to adopting her. Cows dying, cars breaking down, chickens being killed by the neighbor dogs. 

I think she must be pretty special for him to be trying so hard to stop us.

He will not prevail!

We have God on our side. She will come come! 

And we are on our way! 
Hang on precious! Mommy and Daddy are coming! 






Friday, August 28, 2015

The Least of These.


I should be cleaning. I should be tackling the Mount Everest that is my laundry pile right now, but I'm not. 

I have a feeling so strong that it cannot be denied. Tears are streaming down my face and I need to write it out. 
I pray, "Dear Father, please help me to write this in a way that is pleasing to thee and not from the sadness that I feel in my heart." 

Here goes. I'm an orphan advocate. I'm a crappy one, but still, I'm an advocate. At times I've been an okay advocate, posting kids and following until, at last, they come home. Some days, it's sending a pm to someone and saying, "Did you see this amazing child?" or maybe they are already looking at a child and I have more info on that child then what's in the child's short file.  Sometimes, I simply post a child's picture and that's that. On really bad days, maybe  all I accomplish is a prayer for a child or children.  The bad days happen way to often.

I have big plans of someday becoming an awesome advocate
But.. advocating is NOT about me.  It's about THEM. The children that are waiting. The ones who don't have a voice. The ones that long for a kiss and a snuggle. Precious children with innocent smiles who need a mom and dad so badly. One person who doesn't leave...

I speak for those children. 

Today, I'm writing from a broken heart because I've seen several children declined by families for reasons that don't make sense to me. But my heart is truly broken for a precious baby girl who left this world today before having a chance to have a family. 

Dear friends whether your searching for your child, or advocating
please let me offer one MAJORLY HUGE yet very simple tip. (I suspect most advocates already do this. )

*Before you open any child's file, Say a prayer. But instead of asking, "Is this child mine." Ask instead, "Father, how can I help this child? and Dear Lord, help me to see this precious child with YOUR loving eyes not mine." 

(You can do this with pray over a picture that comes across your news feed too. )

Then dear friends, Open the file and LOOK at the picture. Look into this childs eyes. Really see that this little one is not just a file but a real live precious human. A child that our father in heaven loves very much. 

I understand that you don't want to be attached.  I do.There was a time when I did the same thing. But friends if we really care about the Orphan cause, it's not about us. It's about them. 

"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matt. 25:40


"Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." Mark 10:14








Thursday, August 13, 2015

This side of the world.



That tiny itty bitty face... I saw this picture for the first time today. It came in an important email. This email had a very important document attached. It happened to be our Travel Approval from China!!!  (I knew about it yesterday) 
We have done all we needed to in the adoption process that CAN be done on this side of the world!!! Next step IS CHINA!  

Though the adoption process is done til China we have a few things we have to take care of before we go. 
We have had issues with a passport but heard good news last night that it was done and on its way.  Finally! Thank heavens! 
 
As most of you know I have been stressing on finding a perfect name for this darling girl. We had found a name and were super excited about it but can no longer use it.  So We're back to the drawing board.  Ack!  
 
That beautiful baby face deserves a gorgeous name! 

I looked at this picture today and it's a reminder of how far our tiny girl has come. That God was and IS very aware of this precious angel! He's aware of every child the world over and he loves them!  
We are so thrilled that he chose US to love her! I pray we are worthy,  her whole life and the next, of this privilege.  

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Making Room


This time of year, four years ago, Shane and I were putting up beadboard and antiquing it. 
We were getting ready for our sweet baby girl. We'd been waiting a long time! 

The room turned out beautiful and so did she! 
Sweet love... 

February 2014,  We added a bit of blue and brown into the room. We were getting ready for our sweet boy. 
We'd been waiting a long time. He'd been waiting longer. 

The room turned out darling and so did he!
Sweet love...  



The room is currently cluttered with toys from two little mastermind mess makers. 
There's pirate and princess clothes in a pile in the corner. 
There's crayon on one of the beadboard  
walls and fingerprints on all the mirrors. 

It's a sweet little room where these two have made room for each other. 

I'm feeling a little sentimental today as I move some of the blue out of the room. 
We've decided to move Chu's bed and clothes in with his brother. Don't worry, most of his toys will stay in this sweet little room. He won't sleep in there anymore but play, he will! 

It's not always easy to make space.
Sometimes, it's bittersweet. Sometimes, we have to let go of something to make room.  It takes a lot of hard work! 
Sometimes, we can't see the beauty through the work. Especially, when the space being made is in our own hearts. 

We're getting ready for our youngest sweet girl. 
We've been waiting a long time. She has been waiting longer! 

The room isn't done yet but it's already  precious 
and so is she... 
 
Can't wait to have her sweet presence fill the room and our hearts. 

 











Sunday, May 3, 2015

And the winner is.... Knife Fundraiser!!



Here we go! So exciting! We've assigned eveyone a number according to when and how much they paid.
We will use a number generator to determine the winner.


01.Raina Horner
02.Raina Horner
03.Raina Horner
04.Raina Horner
05.Raina Horner
06.Carrie Wallace
07.Carrie Wallace
08.Carrie Wallace
09.Carrie Wallace
10.Carrie Wallace
11.Dennis Allred
12.Dennis Allred
13.Dennis Allred
14.Dennis Allred
15.Dennis Allred
16.Tavia Wall
17.Tavia Wall
18.Tavia Wall
19.Tavia Wall
20.Tavia Wall
21.Ted Cole
22.Ted Cole
23.Blake Bess
24.Blake Bess
25.Blake Bess
26.Blake Bess
27.Blake Bess
28.Ryan Elsey
29.Christopher Anstey
30.Christopher Anstey
31.Christopher Anstey
32.Christopher Anstey
33.Christopher Anstey
34.Christopher Anstey
35.Christopher Anstey
36.Christopher Anstey
37.Christopher Anstey
38.Christopher Anstey
39.Christopher Anstey
40.Christopher Anstey
41.Christopher Anstey
42.Christopher Anstey
43.Christopher Anstey
44.Christopher Anstey
45.Christopher Anstey
46.Christopher Anstey
47.Christopher Anstey
48.Christopher Anstey
49.Christopher Anstey
50.Christopher Anstey
51.Christopher Anstey
52.Christopher Anstey
53.Christopher Anstey
54.Christopher Anstey
55.Christopher Anstey
56.Christopher Anstey
57.Christopher Anstey
58.Christopher Anstey
59.Christopher Anstey
60.Matthew Wyant
61.Brandy Berlin
62.Brandy Berlin
63.Brandy Berlin
64.Brandy Berlin
65.Brandy Berlin
66.Brandy Berlin
67.Brandy Berlin
68.Brandy Berlin
69.Auston Horst
70.Auston Horst
71.Auston Horst
72.Auston Horst
73.Auston Horst
74.Matt Menefee
75.Jimmy Harbison
76.Brad Gallaway
77.Brad Gallaway
78.Brad Gallaway
79.Brad Gallaway
80.Brad Gallaway
81.Ed Silver
82.Ed Silver
83.Ed Silver
84.Ed Silver
85.Ed Silver
86.Kristen Lamb
87.Kristen Lamb
88.Kristen Lamb
89.Kristen Lamb
90.Kristen Lamb

91.Justin Laffer
92.Justin Laffer
93.Justin Laffer
94.Justin Laffer
95.Justin Laffer
96.Kandace Monsivais
97.Melissa Duncan
98.Melissa Duncan
99. Melissa Duncan
101.Melissa Duncan
102.Melissa Duncan
103.Jeffrey Bakota
104.Jeffrey Bakota
105.Christopher Anstey
106.Christopher Anstey
107.Christopher Anstey
108.Christopher Anstey
109.Christopher Anstey
110.Christopher Anstey
111.Christopher Anstey
112.Christopher Anstey
113.Christopher Anstey
114.Christopher Anstey
115.Christopher Anstey
116.Christopher Anstey
117.Christopher Anstey
118.Chad Tueller
119.Melonie Reathaford
120.Julie Masse
121.Julie Masse
122.Ben Swain
123.Patrick Gleason
124.Patrick Gleason
125.Patrick Gleason
126.Patrick Gleason
127.Patrick Gleason
128.Patrick Gleason
129.Patrick Gleason
130.Patrick Gleason
131.Patrick Gleason
132.Patrick Gleason
133.Patrick Gleason
134.Patrick Gleason
135.Patrick Gleason
136.Patrick Gleason
137.Patrick Gleason
138.Patrick Gleason
139.Patrick Gleason
140.Chad Tueller
141. Jenifer Paris

And the winner is...


So happy for you Christoper Anstey!!

Please email me your mailing adress. 


l.v.Atwood@gmail.com


Sunday, April 26, 2015

Atwood Knife Fundraiser

*** We are still taking donation but no  longer taking knife donations! 
We are so humbled and thankful to have met our goal.  Drawing coming soon! 
Thank you everyone! 





When Shane and I were married, I never dreamed I was marrying a knife maker.  I'm sure, Shane never dreamed we'd adopt from China. 

Here we are almost sixteen years later and both of these unknowns are coming together in a big way! 

Shane always makes exceptional knives and this one is no different.

It. Is. Georgeous!

Don't you agree? And extra special because as cheesy as it sounds, it was made with love for a tiny baby girl a world away! 

One of our most recent pictures. Taken in March around her 2nd birthday. She's in 6-9 month clothing.  



Below are the specs from the big man himself. 

"Model  Atomic Folder
Knife blade is approx. 3.5"

Closed length 4.5"
Overall open length approx. 8"
Blade steel CPM s30v stainless steel with an acid stone washed finish
Blade has been heat treated to a 60 to 61  rockwell C hardness
Bolster are Moku-ti polished and heat colored
Handle scales are Arizona Desert ironwood
Liners are .070" 6al4v titanium
Pivot is a 3/16" hardened barrel pivot with        bronze washer and anodized titanium screws.
Handle screws are heat colored titanium
Back spacers are stainless damascus steel with  my Alcatraz pin design

I pride myself in making each knife to the best of my ability, and make each knife better than the last. I try to use the very best materials possible, and like using exotic materials. I try to make knives that are extremely tough and will last many life times, but also have that hierloom quality."-Shane



Here's  how the fundraiser works. 

Each spot is $15 or 5 spots for $65. 
***When you donate (on the you caring site linked below)  it's really important that you leave your name and the word knife.  This way I can track the raffle money coming in. 

Keep checking back to the blog and even check the bottom of this post for updates. Also, sign up for you caring updates. 
     
 Click on the link below

Atwood fundraiser Link
   ^^link^^

Any questions email me, Lacy, at l.v.atwood@gmail.com


Thank you for helping clear the hurdles that keep us from our baby girl. <3>


Friday, March 6, 2015

Where hope grows...


Can you imagine finding a baby? Just doing your daily activities and there's a baby?! It's seems so strange to me.  Yet in China, this is quite a common occurrence.

I have never seen a file for a Chinese Child that doesn't include a paragraph of where they were found.

So of course, our little one's story is no different then other children in China. She was also "found."

Then, our girl spent her fist half of her tiny life in an Orphanage.  It was rough, for what ever reason, she was not thriving. She was at death's door. She was as tiny as you can be for a thirteen month old child.

That was when an Angel of Mercy swooped in and gave her HOPE.

Our girl was taken from the orphanage and moved to a Foster Home Facility that was ran by the couple we met in China. (You can read the story of meeting the couple and how we found our girl  here.)This couple has been working so hard to help our girl gain weight.  They've been knocking down the walls that our girl had built up.  They've been teaching our girl what love is. They have been teaching her about Christs love. They were growing hope in that tiny heart.

I'm betting that they pushed and got her file ready. Which is where I come into the story.
19 months old
This was the picture that screamed at me to do something!  The picture that brought back all the emotions of knowing a child, your child, is starving a world away! I wanted to be her HOPE.

We committed to this sweet girl and then we found out about her Foster Family. I felt a relief. She was in good care until she was in my arms.
And She has been in the best of care. She has gained 3 pounds sense this picture was taken.
Three pounds are Huge on her!

At the beginning of this week we received bad news. We found out that the Couple who saved her life is being transferred and It's our girls birthday!

Our girl will stay in the Foster home and she will continue to get good care BUT she's going to experience loss AGAIN! It is not lost on me how Ironic it is that it is happening on her birthday.
My heart cant hardly stand it! My heart is breaking for the sweet couple too. This will be hard on them too.

AS I've Processed this and received other bad news about our paperwork being delayed, I was discouraged.  But as I've prayed, I've been comforted to know that God knew this would happen, all of it,  and he loves this baby girl as much as I do. HE is her Hope. He is everyone's hope.

So when a friend sent me this quote I knew it was the one for our Shirt! It seems very appropriate for our girl. Happy 2nd Birthday sweet girl!

   "Where hope grows, miracles blossom."

^^You can see our shirt by clicking on the Quote above.^^