How YOU can help US!!

I know it's impossible to understand bonding with an adoptive child (esp an older child) unless you have literally walked through it. I also know that EVERY adoption looks so very different so even the needs of our family may look entirely different than the needs of another. I am writing this as a Momma Bear protecting my family through clinched teeth. My intent in NO way is to offend... but I am also not concerned about offense taken because I have every right to defend my family in a loving way. So here is what we NEED on this journey!!

Please....

DO NOT...

1. Pick up Joleigh

2. Mother Joleigh

3. Offer Joleigh treats

4. Feed Joleigh

PLEASE...

1. Let us be the Wallace family and not the family who adopted Joleigh

2. Treat Joleigh like you do our other children ... I wish I could describe the damage that is being done to my 3 year old unintentionally by family and friends who time after time shower Joleigh with comments, attention, etc and neglect her sister. Oh she may not look like she's paying attention but she notices EVERYthing you say about her sister and not about her.

3. Try to even ignore Jo is here right now!!!!! I know this sounds horrible but oh if you knew how much it would help us. This is the biggy and I KNOW it's virtually impossible for people but guys when Joleigh receives special treatment and attention from you, she is pulling away from ME!!!!! Let me retype that for you! When Joleigh receives special treatment from YOU she is pulling away from ME!!! It's called mommy shopping. She literally becomes a different kid towards me when someone has dolled all over her. Oh and I can't tell you how hard it is to bond with someone who would rather be with someone else... anyone else that will show her special attention.

Thank you to my KCA co-op family for being so great with this!!!! You guys have really made Thursdays an enjoyable day and I appreciate you helping me in this area!!

Thank you for taking the time to read this and please be in prayer for our family. Pray for bonding. We are SO very thankful God has called Joleigh into our family. Oh she is a joy!!! An absolutely JOY!!! She needs to feel that love and attention only from us right now. That will, in time, encompass family and friends but right now it has to be only us!!!

You don't wanna miss this!!

God has really brought SO many dear women to my life through adoption and today I'm gonna introduce you to one of those ladies. Mary Beth and her husband have brought two children home from Ethiopia. She is a dear friend of mine who God is using to speak life into my heart. I am so thankful for our friendship. She would like to share with you guys what He is doing in the lives of His children in Ethiopia. This is definitely a post you don't need to miss. Thank you Mary Beth for letting me be a part!!
Jenny:)


Thank you so much Jenny] for allowing me to post on your blog about a subject that is so important to me.

Over three years ago, my husband and I began our journey to adopt our son from Ethiopia. And since that time, God has been filling our hearts with an overwhelming love and passion for the people of Ethiopia. We returned a year after our first adoption to bring our daughter home. After arriving home with her, we knew we had to do more.

We have been so blessed to team up with other adoptive families around the U.S. and with Lifesong for Orphans. Lifesong is doing some amazing work through a small nursery school that they support in Adami Tulu, Ethioipa. You can read more about Adami Tulu here.

Last year, we, with five other families, raised over $40,000 to build a new building, restroom facility, and gate at the Adami Tulu school. In August, we got to return to Ethiopia to see the new building. We had an amazing trip, and have absolutely fallen in love with Adami Tulu. You can read more about our trip here and here. The school is changing the lives of so many vulnerable children in the area by offering them a wonderful education and two nutritious meals a day.

We've returned home with the knowledge that we have so much more to do in Adami Tulu. So we've agreed to continue our work with Lifesong by raising funds for another school building on the Adami Tulu campus. This will enable the school to expand to include 1st and 2nd grade. More details will be coming soon, but we're anxious to get a jump start on fundraising. We know that this project will cost at least $50,000. But, for these sweet faces, we'll do anything!



We are very excited to announce our first fundraiser for our next phase of the Adami Tulu project: another Aspen Giveaway!



Our Aunt and Uncle have, once again, generously donated toward our fundraising efforts. Only this time they've offered us not one but FIVE stays at the Hyatt Grand Aspen.

Filled!

We are doing well! This is possibly one of my favorite seasons in this life He's given me. Yes, I'm busy and exhausted. Yes, I'm terribly proud that my kitchen and living room are CLEAN while the rest of my house is dirty;). Yes, there are times that the whines of a 3 yr old or defiance of a 2 year old get to me... but oh the JOY, pure JOY I am soaking in on a daily basis. I LOVE LIFE!! Always have really but I love it even more right now. Teaching the boys has been such a blessing for me. They are both doing so well right now in school. They'd rather be playing but they never really complain about having to do work which is such a blessing for me right now. Piper is SOOO incredibly eager to learn. I have no doubt if I spent just a handful of minutes with that girl she'd be reading in no time. She's a sponge. She desperately wants to be able to do the schoolwork they are doing and will often whine "but I just can't READ!!". She can entertain herself easily. She has SO many imaginary friends, it cracks us all up. Joleigh is just a little ball of sunshine. She is content usually in all circumstances. She'll definitely let you know if she's been wronged;0) but she just plays her little heart out day in and day out.
I know God has blessed me with such an amazing amount of contentment. Life has been a whirlwind over the past few months but God has been an ever present strength for me. He has given me a great group of women who have traveled down the adoption path and have poured life into me. He fills me daily with joy and when I lay down joy is still bubbling over. I know I'm the kinda person that easily gets on others nerves b/c I'm just "so happy" but really why shouldn't we be?!? I am a sinner chosen and saved by grace and I pray that I will always be filled with joyful praise!