Holt International Christmas Gift Team - Philippines

I found this video on U-Tube. Every year, our adoption agency Holt International sends a Christmas Gift Team to the Phillippines to share the Christmas holiday with children in Holt's care. Merry Christmas!

Officially Waiting!!!

Wes got the call today...I am jealous that I didn't get the call as I was napping. I never take afternoon naps and the one day that I actually do, Holt calls us with the news that we have been waiting over 3 months for. We have been officially approved by the ICAB (Inter-County Adoption Board) of the Philippines and have been placed on the official list for prospective adoptive parents. Holt said that our approximate wait time for a referral is 15-18 months from today. So now the waiting really begins. I thought the 3 month wait of our official approval from the ICAB was long as our dossier paperwork was received by them at the end of September.

Over the course of next year there isn't much that we will have to do as our paperwork is finished until we receive our referral. There are many things that we will be praying for during our wait,
* health for our child and his mother as she could be pregnant right now.
* wisdom for us in financial budgeting and fundraising as we prepare to bring our child home.
* finding more Filipino culture around us so that we may truly understand our childs birth country.
* Patience during the long wait that we are about to experience.

We are so blessed to have such loving family and friends. Your prayers and encouragement will be important to us as we wait for the referral of our child.

True Meaning of Christmas?

I found this song on a fellow family blog that is currently waiting for a referal from Ethiopia. Do we all know that it's Christmas Time? Are we all truly celebrating the true reason for the season? Yes, I realize that this video is totally 80's, but as I listen to this song, I can't help but wonder if I have actually shared with my family the true reason for the Christmas holiday. This song helps to remind me of the children all over the world that suffer from starvation and disease. I am so blessed for the good health of my children and family. Most of the time it is so hard for me to even fathom these sort of living conditions. I can only pray that I am teaching my children that Santa Claus symbolizes the generosity and goodwill that we feel during the month of December. Hopefully we are grateful for the true GIFT, that God so loved the world that he gave his begotten son. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift! Thanks be to God for all the children all over the world (Philippines).



I really try to not place Santa in the center, but instead show that he is a humble servant of the One that is...GOD! Santa represents the spirit of family fun and the joy of giving and receiving. I believe that if I teach both Jaidyn and Addy these things, that there is no danger and that the true meaning of Christmas will ever be forgotten.

Baby Doll

Until now, Jaidyn has been completely into only her stuffed animals...Bear, Happy Feet, Pink Puppy, Shamu, White Kitty & Kittens, and the list goes on. Sometimes I have to work very hard at finding a place for both Jaidyn and Addy to sleep. Yes, underneath this pile is a bed with Jaidyn and Addy sleeping soundly.


Last week, my mom and I went thrift store shopping to hunt for some Ebay treasures and instead I found a treasure for both Jaidyn and Addy. A few months ago I had been contemplating on whether to buy Jaidyn an American Girl Bitty Baby doll for her birthday as I love these dolls. However, it wasn't really in the budget and she has never really been that interested in any of her other dolls. So, I just kind of forgot about the idea. Searching through the thrift store, off in the center laying on a couch was a baby doll in a Bitty Baby carrier. The doll in the carrier was an American Girl Bitty Baby doll and thank goodness no one who worked in the thrift store actually knew what kind of doll it was, so it was definitely priced in my budget. Just as I was heading to the counter to pay, I noticed a big plastic bag labeled "Build-A-Bear & Doll Clothes". After further examining the bag, I realized it was packed with American Girl Bitty Baby doll clothing. Now, not only did I have the doll and carrier, but lots of clothing and accessories.

I believe that this doll was meant to find my hands. The past couple of months, I have been looking on the internet for Asian inspired toys and dolls as I want Jaidyn and Addy to experience some Asian culture through toys and books. Not only did I find this doll, but the best part...it is Asian.

Jaidyn has completely taken to this doll who is now named Lizzie. We even took Lizzie with us this past weekend to see Santa. Jaidyn dresses Lizzie everyday and when we leave the house, Jaidyn dresses her in a snowsuit and scarf. Lizzie has been brought along on every car ride. As you can see in the picture, Lizzie gets to take naps with Bear. Jaidyn is pretty stingy when it comes to Bear and rarely shares it with anyone. Tonight, Jaidyn even went and picked out her orange pajamas so she would match Lizzie's pajamas.


The doll has also sparked several conversations between Jaidyn and I about the adoption and the addition that will one-day join our family.

I guess the American Girl doll statement is true, "For every wish or dream, there's a doll waiting to share it with you".

Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true. Sweet Dreams!

Magazine Subscription

Christmas early! Thank You Haley and Jill for the adoption magazine subscriptions! I am so excited about receiving them. I can't wait for the first issues to arrive.

Operation Christmas Child

Every year for Christmas our family picks an organization to give to for the holiday season. This year we decided to be part of Operation Christmas Child through Samaritan's Purse. Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes. Normally we pick a local charity, but since our hearts are over in the Philippines, we chose to give to an organization that gives to children in countries of poverty. We chose to fill 2 shoe boxes, 1 for a girl age 2-4 and 1 for a boy age 2-4. Jaidyn really enjoyed helping me fill the shoe boxes. She helped me fill the boxes with art supplies, toiletries, candy, clothing, and of course toys. She picked out a couple of princess items and a Dora doll for the girl box and some cars and balls for the boy box. She just couldn't understand why we couldn't deliver them to the children ourselves. She even drew a picture of Christmas trees and presents on the card that we sent along with the boxes. Our boxes should have arrived at the Operation Christmas Child headquarters this past week. By giving gifts that share the Good News of Christmas our family is more able to strongly celebrate God's love for us through the birth of Jesus. By giving this gift we hope to have passed along the gift of HOPE & LOVE.


My dad made these snowmen kids for us this year. I am not sure if you all noticed, but we have a "Snow" family of 3 children. This child is in all of our hearts this Christmas season. Thanks, Dad! :)