We are Blessed

Well, I'm sure most of you know already from Facebook but just in case you don't know... we won our Ordinary Hero Grant Contest!!! So going to our agency just from the contest will be: $1,165!!! We could not have done it without you guys, we are so blessed by so many people who purchased something for themselves, or the kiddos over in Africa. Thank you thank you thank you!!! Just a side note, if you did purchase something and don't remember seeing my name anywhere, let me know! That way we can add it our account and you will get a nice thank you note from us :)You can still purchase items for yourself or for others at any time. Just make sure you click my Chaffee, Megan next to affiliate name under the drop box. Please excuse the time it has taken to get my Thank You's out, I'm wanting to make something super cute and use some creativity, because well lets be honest, I love to! From the bottom of my heart THANK YOU!!! for all your help.

A week or so after we found out we won, I got a card in the mail from a friend in Kentucky. His wife had asked for our address and I didn't think much of it. I opened the sweetest note from my friend and his wife and a check they had felt called to give. We are forever grateful for this and their prayers. It is amazing to see how God works in and through people in times like these. I was practically in tears when I told Kyle, we were just in shock of how generous 2 people could be. So THANK YOU Grant and Jennifer!!!

Today is a great day: I have officially finished the classes and answered the questions of some classes we had to take before getting on the waiting list. Kyle I think is almost finished. We will email those and our preference list to our coordinator and we will officially be on the waiting list tomorrow! YAY!!!!! We are so excited :)

We had a great service at church today and it was all about faith. Our pastor gave us 5"steps" he thought were part of having faith in any given situation. He said, you won't go through every single one every time, but a lot of the times. Here are the 5 steps and some verses that really stuck out to me and made it clear in my heart and mind that we are following God's leading's and not our own.
Dream
Decision James 1:22  But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.
Delay  Habakkuk 2:3 But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day! (Could this be anymore true to adoptive parents going through this process?!)
Dead Ends
Deliverance
This message really spoke to Kyle and I with everything we are going through. We almost didn't go to church this morning, and man am I glad we did!!

This month we are going through a campaign at our church and everyday I get an email with a prayer and sometimes a verse. This mornings was amazing and I will leave on this note for you ;)

Define Or•phan

1. a child who has lost both parents through death, or, less commonly, one parent.

Prayer
James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” Lord, may we be and become a church that practices a pure and faultless religion, in which we
look after the orphans and widows in our city and world. Amen.

Finished Dossier

This will be a brief update.  :)

We sent in our dossier on Friday, and I'm hoping IAN has received today. YAY!! We are done, well almost. I found out we have a couple more classes to take through IAN and then we will be on the waiting list. We will be on 5 different waiting list: baby boy and girl, toddler boy and girl, and siblings. I talked to our agency yesterday about the sibling thing and how they knew they would be true siblings etc. She said that they have to be brought into together with the same parent(s). So, on our home study report we put we would accept up to age 3. We were very happy with this decision until yesterday. The likely hood of 2 children under the age of 3 really limits us. So Kyle and I have now opened up to non-siblings.

You're probably thinking, whats the big deal? You will raise them as siblings anyway. In that regard yes, we will and we don't care if they are true siblings or not. But, it of course costs more money. We aren't talking about thousands more, so it really isn't big deal at all, just another hurdle to jump over while we finish up this process, and begin to wait. We will remain on all the lists as of right now, because you never know when twins can be carried in through those doors ;) Ha, how fun would that be?! So crazy busy, but so much fun too.

We are sending in our USCIS stuff shortly as well. This is the US government giving us permission to adopt an orphan or two. This process takes quite awhile, but IAN is super and they will let us be in the waiting lists before that part is finished.

Now that all the paperwork is finished, I'm going to start some more :) I'm going to start applying for some grants and there is a lot more that goes into that than I originally thought. I wanted to apply to ShowHope by Halloween, but there is a lot of paperwork and documents that I want to really take my time on. So, I've decided to scratch that deadline and shoot for New Year's Eve. ShowHope was created by Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife Mary Beth. They have absolutely amazing hearts, and have such a neat story. If you don't know much about them, I would really do some research, or you can go to http://showhope.org/  If you guys know of any other places to apply for some grants, any info would be super helpful! :)

Well friends, I have lots to talk about, so I will post again soon. (hopefully) Have a great Wednesday and keep warm!

Foggy

Hi friends,

These past few mornings have been beautiful here, and there is a part in my drive that goes down a "hill." When I get to the bottom it has been pretty foggy. Don't worry it's not dangerous to be driving or anything, honestly its just beautiful. I actually love driving through it, its been one of my favorite parts of the drive lately. Along with the amazingly gorgeous leaves that are changing colors.

Lately I have been feeling like I've been in a fog... a fog of paperwork, a fog of Dr. appts, and a fog of busyness. I'm so happy to say that the fog has been lifting little by little and I couldn't be more excited. :)  The fog of paperwork is almost done. We are so close to getting our dossier finished. The only issue right now, is our insurance company, but IAN has been super helpful with everything. We will have everything except 2 papers notarized and finished by tomorrow... can I get an AMEN!?!?! Our Dr. appts should be done too :) Yay!! I won't spend too much time on the Dr. thing, but my fertility Dr. wants to do surgery again, because she didn't do everything she wanted to the first time. We opted for no, and to fully believe that if we are supposed to bear our own child(ren) then God will make that happen. We are following Him with full force in this adoption. :) The fog of busyness may not be lifting too much, but I am so looking forward to this weekend with my little sisters, that I don't even care if we are "busy."

So, if you find yourself in a foggy place, just remember with time, it will lift and the sun will be shining in no time! 

Have a lovely weekend friends!!

Also, don't forget: The Ordinary Hero deal ends on Sunday. If you can't buy now, but can later, that is fine. If we are the top seller by Sunday though, we could win an extra $500 toward our beautiful little child(ren). So go check it out if you have time...Love to all!!!  ordinaryherostore.org 

Stretched Thin...

Hi friends,

As many of you know I had surgery in August. I didn't particularly want this surgery, not because I was scared but because we knew we were planning to adopt and I knew how expensive this silly little surgery would be. We now almost every other day get a bill of some sort in the mail from this surgery. Now, if you have a kid and have bills from that, sure that's worth the money. If you have kids and have to pay for their medical bills, totally worth it, its your kiddo. But for me, personally to have a surgery that doesn't guarantee a pregnancy, that's not worth it. I wasn't going to die without this surgery. If they had guaranteed me a pregnancy or even planted a baby in there, sure that would have been worth it.

Now I sit here fretting and thinking about all these bills we have to pay on top of our adoption fees. Those adoption fees are totally worth it to me though... Giving a baby or two a home, this is going to be priceless. I wish I could tell all the Dr.'s and hospitals we will pay them when we feel like it. We have more important things to worry about it, our children. I'm going to give this one to God though, because right now I'm freaking out. I was just talking to my mother in law about this today and how we know God will provide and we just need to trust Him and believe that if He put this on our hearts it will happen. It's so easy to say and hear, but then seeing another bill, I lost it.

I'm going to do my best and replay our conversation over and over in my head and just pray, and try not to cry. That's really all I want to do right now too. I'm going to stay tough and believe that this is all in God's plan and He knows what He's doing even if we don't.

I feel like right now I am so stretched thin in being so busy with life... I need a break. We have been so busy these past few weekends, and I am looking forward to this weekend. We are watching our little 10 year old sisters and we are doing a craft for their room and the baby room. This will be so therapeutic for me this weekend, I cannot wait. These girls are awesome too, such big hearts, giggle at about everything their "bubby" does, and just like to hang out. :)  I'm hoping the next couple weekends will be the same too, just hanging out and doing some stuff around the house or whatever we want.

You guys are probably thinking, wow Megan you have another thing coming when you have a kid or two... your life will never stop. You guys are so true to think that, and I honestly cannot wait for those moments. Will I complain about being tired and want to scream, oh I'm sure... but those times will be priceless!

Thanks for all your support everyone!

Just a reminder that if you buy this week from Ordinary Hero, (under the name Chaffee, Megan) we will be in the running for a grant towards our adoption. We will get 40% of your purchase price and be in the running for first place. These can make some great Christmas presents, or just some tees for yourself or the family. :) ordinaryherostore.org

Ordinary Hero

Hey all!!

I posted last week about how my mother-in-law found this great website to help us do some fundraising for our adoption process. I have officially signed us up, and I had my mom test it out for us ;) Thanks mom!!

It's very easy, and there are super cute items to purchase... There are shirts and accessories for all ages. If you buy any item 40% of the price will go towards our adoption process. All of the money will get saved up, when we decide to close it out, or we are needing some extra money for agency, the website will cut a check. The check goes straight to our agency to help us out. Pretty simple and what a great way to help people adopt and to make others aware of all the orphans out there in the world.

When you are checking out you will get to a line that says Affiliate Name... go over to the right, click the drop down box and find Chaffee, Megan. The things you purchase should get to you pretty quickly too, I found something I loved and told my mom about it, she ordered it on Tuesday I think, and I saw a flyer for Ordinary Hero on her table, so she got it already. :) Yay!!!

I encourage you not only to purchase something but to also look around the website. It is wonderful and I love the idea so much.

Here is the website for the store:  http://www.ordinaryherostore.org/
There is also a link on my blog now, its on the right hand side near the top, and it says I'm Fundraising with Ordinary Hero. Just click the picture it will take you right there!

Thanks so much in advance!!