Merry Christmas (a little late...)

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!! We are currently in Arkansas celebrating with more family and the kids are loving that there is a lot of snow on the ground!! I think my mom ended up with about 8 inches and Kelly's mom had about a foot! (We know this because we may or may not have gotten stuck....twice) It has been such a wonderful time of being together and enjoying our families and celebrating the birth of our Saviour. We truly are nothing without Him and I'm so thankful for the many blessings He has given me!

We are very excited for 2013! We know that God has so many new things for this upcoming year and we can't wait! The most exciting thing will be bringing our precious London and Samuel home from Haiti. We do not know exactly when we can bring them home but our goal is to pray them home in 2013. Please continue to pray for a speedy process and for the health and safety of all of the children and staff in Haiti. It is definitely a spiritual battle there. Kelly and I both feel very drawn to Haiti. Not only because our children are there but because it is full of people that truly need to know the love of Jesus. There is such an oppression on the people there and we are praying for a revival to come in the land!

I also have a personal goal this year of finding sponsors for some of the children at the creche. I have witnessed firsthand the miracle of child sponsorship. The greatest thing is that when you sponsor a child through XXXXXXX all of the money is going to help care for that child. It is not going to any administrative costs.  If you are interested please check out XXXXXXXX  I promise it is one of the most fulfilling things that you can do!!

Thank you all for your prayers and support this year! We love you all so much and are thankful to have you in our lives!!

xoxo
Tracie

Night of Praise/Orphan Awareness Event

I am so excited about this event!!!! Its our first annual Night of Praise/Orphan Awareness event!! With National Orphan Sunday being November 4, what better way to come out and support orphan care!! We have some fabulous bands, awesome tshirts and bracelets and great company!! If you are in the Tulsa area or anywhere close, you will not want to miss this!! I would be so grateful if you would share this info on facebook and your blogs! The more people the better! There IS a way to end the orphan crisis and it starts with you and I!!!

Thank you so much!!!

xoxo

P.S. Sneak peek of some AMAZING new family pics coming soon :)

TSHIRT AND BRACELET PALOOZA!!!

HI Friends!!!
We are kicking off a big fundraiser this week with the Donaho Family. We are working so hard to bring home London, Samuel, Sophie, Brooklyn and Jax from Haiti.  These five kids are absolutely precious and we love them so much. We can't wait for them to join our families.  We know God has HUGE things in store for all of them.

We have a pretty lofty goal this week. We would like to sell 200 tshirts and 100 Haitian made bracelets and we need YOUR help!! Please consider purchasing one of our awesome shirts, a bracelet made by a Haitian artisan ($4 goes back to the artist that made it) or both!! Also if you could share our page with your friends either through your blog or on facebook we would greatly appreciate it! You can follow us at www.facebook.com/hopehappens.adoption.

Here is how to order!! You can click the DONATE button to the right of this screen. It will direct you to paypal. In the comment section please specify what you are ordering, sizes, styles, and color and how many of each. If you would like to pay another way, please send us an email, or message us through the Hope Happens Adoption page on Facebook. Shipping will be $5 for one shirt and $2 for each additional shirt.   The sizes of the tshirts come in Adult small through Adult extra large. We can take preorders for childrens sizes and larger than XL sizes. We were able to print these tshirts with the help of some generous sponsors. If you or your company would like to sponsor the next batch of tshirts, please let us know!!

Most importantly, please pray for our children. Pray that our paperwork flies through and that when it reaches President Martelly's desk that we find favor and he signs them immediately. Pray for the health and safety of our kids and that God prepares their hearts for a move to America.
Thank you so much for your support. We love you so much!

My sweet babies!

We are still here!!!!

So, I'm blaming my lack of blogging on my home computer that will not cooperate with blogger, being insanely busy with 5 kids, soccer, working full time, church life, adopting two children from another country, blah blah blah....Let's just blame blogger. I am HOPEFULLY going to be able to post some pictures of London and Samuel tonight. They are so stinkin cute. It should seriously be illegal how cute they are.  Paperwork is moving along in Haiti and we are praying that we will be on the Presidents Desk in October. Please pray that we have favor and that he signs it upon arrival. Some people have waited months for him to sign and well, I don't want to wait months for him to sign. I want to get this thing moving and have my babies home in the Spring. They need to be home. We need them home. 

The other members of the tribe are doing fabulous. Kelcie is my beautiful 7th Grader this year. I seriously cannot believe how grown up she is. She's amazing. She wants to be a missionary and shes an awesome athlete. I love her heart.

Greyson started 5th grade. He is still my naive little soul that  has a huge heart. He is an amazing soccer player. He and his best friend are playing on a competitive league this year and they are total studs. These skills must come from me :).

Conner... Oh my.. My sweet little 8 year old that was always so quite and so good has arrived in 3rd grade. The year where being "obnoxious" is cool. Oye... I hope we survive. He's playing soccer again. Loves it. Scores multiple times every game. He's so fun to watch.

Carrson is almost 3. He loves Mayah more than anything. He's completely out of diapers (Can I get a halleluyer???) and is so much fun. He tells us everyday that he has a girlfriend and his famous quote is "People don't do that". This usually comes when we ask him to do something he doesn't want to do. 

Sweet Mayah Grace..Oh my word. Is it possible to love someone SO SO much?? She is perfect!! She just turned 1 last week. Has no interest in walking. I mean, why would she?? She points. We carry. She is holding her own bottle/cup now. Thats huge, people. She is a DIVA in the making. I have put so many tutus on her that she goes completely stiff when she sees one thinking that I won't make her wear it. But oh is she wrong....

So, there is a little tidbit into our crazy blessed life!! I wouldn't have it any.other.way...
We have some AWESOME new shirts and some super cute Haitian made bracelets. You should hurry on over to www.facebook.com/hopehappens.adoption and get some. They are seriously the greatest adoption tshirts ever and you don't want to be the ONLY one without one!! We are also doing a big Night of Praise and Adoption Awareness night on Nov. 2 at the amazing Woodlake Assembly in Tulsa. You won't want to miss it, I promise!! Until next time!! xoxo

Church Camp Frenzy and a Timeline...hopefully

Happy Summer!! I'm posting from the amazing Thea Aut La Springs Campground where we are on week 2 of such an amazing church camp!! My kids are having a total blast and the company is great too!! My kids would live here if we would let them! I'm not sure I have ever seen Carrson so dirty from playing outside all day! Next week is our last one and we will head home to enjoy the rest of summer!! I'm going back to teaching at the 8th Grade Center this next year so I"m hoping to get lots of family time in before we head back to school and work!

We got a bit of an update on our adoption of London and Samuel. We are currently in IBESR and after this phase we will go to the Presidents desk for a signature. We are expected to make it to his desk by November/December. I'm of course praying that he signs immediately but some people have been known to wait 1-8 months for a signature.  Our prayer is that he signs within a month and then hopefully travel to pick them up in February/March. Please pray with us that this is the case! I know that God is in control and at his appointed time we will get them. Its just so hard to wait!! I"m ready to get them home and let them adjust to being the newest members of our circus! We've got some cool fundraisers coming up like Haiti inspired Christmas ornaments, an auction, and Nights of Praise! So make sure and check out www.facebook.com/hopehappens.adoption for updates!!
 We love you all and thank you so much for your support in this journey!!

xoxo

Seeing Double!

Haiti was absolutely more than I could ever put into words.  I don't really know what I expected. And I really didn't know how I would feel.  I knew I would feel connected and I knew I would feel excited about FINALLY meeting the child that God had chosen for me.  I don't think I was prepared to feel so overwhelmed when I looked at the faces of those beautiful children who need mamas. I didn't know I would feel the sense of gratitude for their "foster" mama who is literally moving mountains for them. I wasn't prepared to see my husband broken at the plight of the orphan.  But I felt all of these things.  I had in my mind that we would be matched with a certain child.  My husband, who I have so much respect for, never looked at a single picture. He wanted to be completely led by the Holy Spirit on which child was ours.  I don't think either one of us thought it would be TWO!!! These two beautiful faces are the newest members of our Tribe:

Meet London Elizabeth-Joy Ward and Samuel Christian Ward!!!! We are HEAD OVER HEELS inlove with these two and they are the perfect, God Ordained fit for our family.  All of our paperwork has been filed with the Haitian government and now we wait. And Pray. And Pray. And Pray... God sets the lonely in families. And that is what we are standing on.  We don't really know when we will get the call to come and pick them up. We do know that it will be His perfect timing.  In the meantime, we figure out who is sharing rooms with who and go shopping for the 15 passenger van!! Hey, don't laugh..I'm totally using the bus lane to pick up my kids...

We have some GREAT things coming up! We have partnered with some VERY good friends (I'm actually convinced she's my soulmate) the Donaho's.  They are adopting 3 kiddos from the same creche and our friendship is nothing less than God Ordained!! We will be having a Night of Worship in June to help us finish raising the funds to bring all 5 of these Haitian beauties home.  We also have some auctions coming up over at www.facebook.com/hopehappens.adoption

 Thanks for all of your support and prayers! We love you all so much!!
xoxo

We are Going to Haiti and a chance to WIN!!!

April 26 is the day!! We will kiss our tribe and board a flight for Haiti to meet our daughter for the very first time!! I can't even tell you how over the moon excited we are!! I think I am showing it a tad bit more than Kelly but what else is new?? We will get to stay with her until the 29 and then wait hopefully just 6-8 months before we bring her home (unless God decides to perform a huge miracle and get her home sooner). Its very surreal and I have TONS to do but we really are excited!  The big kids are pretty upset that they can't go this time but hopefully we can take them on the next trip down.

We are doing one last hurrah before we go and raffling off a Kindle Fire.  If you would like a ticket or two or ten you can work  your way over to the Paypal button. Tickets are $2 for one or 5 for $10. We will draw on April 19.

Thanks so much for your prayers during this seemingly long adoption process we have been on! I would have never guessed in a million years how many twists and turns it would take but in just 22 days we know it will have been all worth it!
Love you all!
xoxo

Spring is in the air!!!

I'm probably winning the award for the worst blogger ever!! I can't believe we are in Mid March!! Time is flying by!! So much has happened for us in the past couple of months! Mayah Grace is getting so so big. Shes the sweetest, most laid back baby ever!! Carrson is..well, Carrson is two and that comes with its own set of challenges! The big kids are all back in soccer and having a blast. We officially start spring break tomorrow and I think that I am more excited than the kids are! Carrson is going to love having the big kids home and mommy is going to love letting Carrson play with the big kids!!

We just got back from a 7 day cruise with my family and some of our close friends, the Meckfessels. We had such an amazing time. We went to Falmouth, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, and Cozumel Mexico. It was such a relaxing and fun trip. The kids got to snorkel, play in the ocean and roam the huge ship. Cousin Ben and Carrson were hits and just about everyone on the ship knew their names. We were asked quite often if they were twins. We have already planned to go on another cruise next spring break with some friends!

In adoption news, we are leaving for Haiti April 26. We are so excited to be able to go to the XXXXXXXXXXXX and meet our future daughter! We are asking for God to just show us the child that he has for us. Things have come together so well in this and it is so nice to know when you are following God's plan for your life! Please pray that the paperwork goes through the Haitian government quickly and efficiently so that we can get our girl home in record time! We have had several tell us that they think we will come home with more than one! They know us too well!! We are open to whatever God has for us and will do what He asks us to do!

I am working on Spring Cleaning right now. I've decided I need to clean out all of the junk in my house and in my life so that God can fully use me for whatever He has for me. I want to be the best wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend that I can be and I don't want anything hindering that!!

I'll try to get some cruise pictures up! Right now Mayah is needing attention and Carrson is all over me!!

I pray that all of you have a wonderful spring and spend some great time with your families!!
xoxo
Tracie

Hope Happens for Haiti Craft Fair

Hello All! I have to say I am loving this January weather!! Average temps in the 50s? LOVE!!! Conner asked me today if they could put on their bathing suits and get the water hose out!! UMMM No! :) We are moving right along with our Haiti adoption. I wanted to let you know that we are sponsoring a craft fair on March 31 at the Bailey Education Center at Bailey Medical in Owasso. (106th and Garnett) We are accepting applications for vendors and would love for you to come and shop for the day!! If you are interested in becoming a vendor please email me at hopehappens.adoption@gmail.com We have already had a GREAT response! We will also be hosting another online auction in February so make sure and check out www.facebook.com/hopehappens.adoption

Family wise, everyone is doing great! Mayah is 4 months old and we all adore her. She is happy and laughs and loves the chaos of our house! Soccer will be starting up soon for the big kids and Kelcie has been playing on an indoor soccer league. We are busy but happy!

xoxo