Christmas blessings

We had a joyous Christmas celebration this year.  We were able to spend time with both sides of our family, some of whom we haven't seen in a while.  As we approached Christmas it was a special season for our family.  The kids were more involved in the activities and festivities, and engaged in the discussions we had about the spirit of Christmas.    

A few days before Christmas we celebrated my birthday.  However, it did not end the way I thought it would.  I was under the impression that we were going to have sushi.  Just before we were to leave my mom and dad showed up.  I thought, oh they are going to join us for dinner.  After all it is as much a celebration for our mama's as it is for us on our birthday's.  Then my mom told me she was going to take me shopping to get a few new things.  During our trip Dan called me a couple of times asking when I would be back home, because my dad was getting hungry and cranky.  After browsing the stores a bit more we returned home to pick up the rest of the crew.  I walked in and noticed that the house was dark and my couch was moved.  My first thought was they must have been playing basketball (we have a small hoop that hangs from the door).  Then I hear SURPRISE!!!!!  My family and friends were all waiting in the living room, h

anding me a flower one by one.  It was such a wonderful night!  My sweet husband had set it all up, and with help from the ladies we shared great food and drinks (chai tea...my favorite).  My heart was full of love and thankfulness. 

Here are some pictures of the kids with their Christmas gifts...

 My little adventurer now has a rock climbing wall in his bedroom.  

Thank you to his great aunties and uncles.

My sweet girl has a play kitchen.  

Thank you to grandma and grandpa Marion for your hard work in constructing this.

142

We are officially on the wait list!  Number 142!  This number may seem high, but the list is not separated by age, or whether a family is okay with special needs or not.  For example, if there is a child that is younger than 18 months and special needs, and nobody above us has those specifications then we will get the referral.

While we wait it is my goal to become knowledgeable and proficient in cooking Ethiopian food.  My first recipe to try is Injera.  Injera is like a flatbread with a spongy texture.  Injera is also used as the plate and utensil for the other food items served.  It is quite a process.  It takes about 5 days to make, due to allowing the teff flour and water mixture to ferment.  I am on day 3, so we shall see how it turns out.
Along with the Injera I am going to make a couple of stews called doro wat (chicken stew), mesir wat (lentil stew), and abesha gomen (collard greens).

Traditional Ethiopian Feast

I am also in the process of opening a store on Etsy.  Currently I am making things to be able to sell.  All of the money that comes from selling the handmade items will go towards our adoption fees.  My hope is that once our adoption is complete and we bring home our baby, that I will continue to make things in order to help out other adoptive families.  I will post more information once I get my Etsy store up and running.

Blessings,

Sonja

Dossier is Done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today was a special day for us, because we were FINALLY able to turn in our dossier to our adoption agency!  It is done!  Finished!  *sigh* I am thankful!
So, where do we go from here?  Next week we should find out where we are at on the waiting list.  The waiting period is approximately 2 years, unless we are referred a special needs child.  In the meantime we will continue to save, save, save, and pray about possible fundraising events.

  

Funny moments with the kids

Conversations with Selah-
Recently I convinced Selah that I have eyes in the back of my head, even though the eyes she can see are not looking at her.  So, I did trick her a little bit to prove this to be true.  I stood in front of the microwave so that I could see her reflection, and I asked her to hold up her fingers and I would tell her how many she was holding up.  In the end she was stumped as to how it was possible.  At a later date Dan was putting Christmas lights up and she wanted to go outside to play.  I said not at that time, because daddy couldn't watch her since he was up on the ladder.  Her response, "Well, daddy has eyes in the back of his head too, and he can still watch me."  Touche!

Conversations with Eli-
Eli has been quite fascinated with heaven and hell recently.  So, we have actually had some great, age appropriate conversations.  Eli always asks the really deep, theological questions, such as, "Will there be potties in heaven?  I don't want to have a potty accident."

Happy 3rd Birthday, Eli!

Just the thought of this handsome boy warms my heart and brings a smile to my face.  Eli Daniel was born 3 years go, November 6, at 9:14 in the morning.  He came into this world roaring like a lion and has been feisty ever since.  He is my little firecracker.  

Here is a little bit about my sweet boy...

Eli willingly gives hugs and kisses.  Loves to cuddle in the morning, before he's off and running, and ends the day back in our arms.  

He thrives on being outdoors. 

He feels the need to leap off of any elevated surface.  Why waste time going down each step?!  And climb anything that has a handle or foothold.  Which is one reason his daddy wants to put a rock climbing wall in his bedroom.  Mommy on the other hand...not too sure about that one.

He loves to eat...ANYTHING.

Typical rough and tumble boy...launching cars off ramps, playing sports, sword fighting, using poop and pee in any sentence (again I am losing the battle thanks to daddy being their ally), wrestling, and the aforementioned dare devil activities.

He also really loves to dance with his mama.  *sigh* I am a puddle.

I am so thankful that I have been gifted with being Eli's mommy.  He is loved, not just by Dan and I, but by many others.  I am thankful for the wise men and women that are in our lives to help us teach Eli and show him what it means to be a gentleman, and to grow into a many of integrity and honor.  

       

Wait upon the Lord...

So, I had a completely different post I was going to write.  A post listing different fundraising opportunities we were going to explore or share.  However, I felt the need to close it down and walk away.  The Lord has something else in mind. 

The verse from Isaiah 40:31 came to me instead,

"But those who trust in the Lord

They will soar high on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary. 

They will walk and not faint" (NLT).

Another translation (NASB) says, "Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength."

The words "wait" and "trust" stand out to me the most.  We cannot move or conquer every obstacle that tries to throw us off course.  We only need to wait, trust, and be still and know that the Creator, provider, King of Kings, God Almighty, Holy One CAN move the mountains that stand in our way, and we believe HE WILL.  

My dear family and friends, instead of seeking your participation with fundraising we ask that you join us in prayer.

USCIS...check...Dossier...check

We continue to make great progress with our paperwork.  I just mailed our USCIS paperwork last week.  This is sent to the US Government to approve us for bringing a foreign child into the country.  Although, before our child sets foot on American soil he or she will have already become a U.S. Citizen.  We will receive a letter from our government with an appointment for biometrics.  This is a fancy word for really awesome fingerprint identification test that makes a person feel like they are part of the FBI, or a wanted criminal.  After said appointment has passed we will then receive our FDL (favorable determination letter), which tells Ethiopia that we are cool with the US, so we are cool with them.  We also have the rest of our paperwork completed.  Our dossier is packaged and ready to send!  We are so thrilled with what seemed like a monumental task in the beginning has now been accomplished.  There is just one problem.  We need to raise the funds in order for the dossier to be sent to Ethiopia.  We are forming new fundraising ideas in order to raise these funds.  I will post more in the near future.  We know that the funds will come.  We have hope!

New seasons of life

So, I have decided that I do not want to limit my blog to things specifically about adoption.  I figure since that process may take about 2 years I do not want to miss out on other happenings in between.  Such as Selah beginning kindergarten and watching her grow and mature in that part of her life, or the fact that I am now seriously working with Eli on potty training.  These are things that I want to chronicle and remember, and maybe someday when my kids are older they will ask me how they fared in a certain season of life.

Selah began kindergarten yesterday, as noted in the previous post.  As the day approached I found myself getting more and more nervous.  I was sending her into an environment outside of the safe bubble I had created for her.  I was afraid of school bullies, her being afraid of such a "big" place, a schedule unlike what she is used to, and so on and so forth.  The idea of homeschooling crossed my mind more times over the course of the weekend than any time before.  However, I gave myself a reassuring pep talk each time knowing that the school Selah was able to get into is top notch.  It's ranked 2nd in the nation among charter schools for Pete's Sake.  What am I worried about?!  It's a new season of life for my girl.  She is growing up and I have to relinquish some sort of control, and allow her to experience heartaches and victories, to spread her wings and discover what vast treasures life holds for her.

As I mentioned above, Eli has become quite excited about using the potty.  I have been a little apprehensive about this whole experience, because it was really difficult with Selah.  We would sit in the bathroom with her for the longest time reading books and playing with dollies, before she finally went.  Not Eli.  He gets on, does his business, and asks for his treat.  Apparently m & m's are a great motivator.  So with disinfectant wipes and a jar of m & m's in hand, I feel pumped up and ready to tackle the beast that is training a little boy to pee and poo in the toilet.    

First Day of Kindergarten

I miss her already...I hope the day goes by fast.

Happy Birthday Selah!

I know this has nothing to do with adoption, but I wanted to share a little about my daughter.  My sweet girl turned 5 years old this week.  Today we celebrated with friends and family at her My Little Pony themed party.  It was a great reminder of how much love and support surround my children.  

This past year has been an incredible year of growth for her.  She entered preschool last Fall very timid and reserved.  She stood on the sidelines and observed while everyone else played and participated in the activities.  By the end of the school year she was communicating and engaging very well with her teacher and classmates.  A good example of the transformation that has taken place is the experience we had at the nursing home visits at the beginning of the school year and again at the end.  The first visit was filled with tears, wailing actually, and being very clingy to me.  We had to leave part way through the singing, because she was having such a hard time.  Fast forward to Spring, and you would have seen my precious daughter right up front, in the middle, singing as loud as she could.  I have to admit I got teary eyed, and I was so proud of her.  Her teacher and I talked afterwards and she said she too had tears in her eyes, because of the dramatic changes that had taken place in Selah.  She has grown to be a more confident girl for sure.  I am thankful for my closest friends lifting Selah right up to the throne of God in prayer.  I love those ladies.  I know that the Lord will continue to grow in Selah.

Some of what I love about Selah is that she is very encouraging and compassionate towards others.  If Eli is upset about something she will hunt all over the house for his Elly or special blanky to help him feel better, without being asked to do so.  She easily gives compliments after someone has completed a task.  She continues to do well in her role as big sister, and plays so well with Eli.  They do have their moments of contention, though.  We've talked about how important her role is as the big sister and that we want her to set a good example for Eli to follow, as well as for baby bro/sis when they come home.  Selah is also very creative.  She makes up new lyrics to a familiar tune.  She most enjoys drawing or coloring, and will sit for a long period of time making new pieces of art to give away.

I Love you, Selah!  

Reaching a milestone

We have now completed the first phase of paperwork!  This Friday we will meet with our social worker for the first home study visit.  It is a bit intimidating...okay a lot intimidating.  The thought of someone coming into our home and analyzing the functionality of our family, critiquing the way we parent is making me nervous.  Imagine if everyone had to go through the same processes in order to have a biological child.  I am not saying I would want that kind of control or intervention, but we would probably have a lot less orphans in the world.
Please pray that we can just be genuine and real, and not try to put on a show and be the people-pleasers we try to be sometimes.

We are trying to come up with some new fundraising ideas.  Have you or anyone you know participated in a fundraiser that was successful?  I am pondering the idea of preparing meals or baked goods for others.  I thoroughly enjoy cooking and baking, food of any ethnicity, and would be willing to prepare meals or baked goods for whomever in exchange for a donation or flat fee.  If you or anyone you know are interested in this fundraising idea let me know.
I am also making hair clips for little girls to wear.  I sold quite a few at the yard sale.  I am selling them for 1.50 each or 2.50 a pair.  Here are a few I have made for Selah:

Here are a few of the ribbon choices I have:

Let me know in the comments section if you would like to purchase any.  If so, leave the following information:  how many, favorite colors, and if you want any little jewels, bows, or resin appliques added on (I have ladybugs, cupcakes, flowers).  Or if you want me to just surprise you I can do that too. ;)

I hope your summer is awesome and you are having a blast in the sunshine just like we are.

Blessings,

Sonja 

Yard Sale

We held our yard sale last Saturday to help raise funds for our adoption.  We were blown away by how many people donated their unwanted items for our sale.  As a result of your generosity we were able to raise $605!  Thank you again for coming alongside us and being a part of our adoption journey.

The Great Paper Chase

The stage we are in has been dubbed as "The Great Paper Chase" by many adoptive families.  The process is long.  It's a hurry up and wait kind of situation.  By the time our dossier (dos-ee-ey) is sent to Ethiopia, that is a package of all the necessary documents,  we will have been fingerprinted 3 times, 3 background checks (local, state, and with the FBI), logged over 30 hours of education, two doctor's appointments for us and one for the kids, home study with a social worker, plus numerous other stops along the way to ensure we will be the best fit to bring a child into our home.  Every document has to be a notarized original, placed in the proper order, and free from any and all errors.  It is definitely overwhelming and has caused me to quietly doubt this is the path we are supposed to take.  However, I have found this quote and verse to be good reminders, "Don't worry about high costs or long wait times.  If God has given you a heart for adoption he will open the right doors at the right times," and Deuteronomy 31:8 says, "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."  I know that the God of the universe goes before us and prepares the way.  As I look back I can see his footprint on certain events that have lead us here.  So, we go forth, putting our trust in God and asking that He grant us peace.

Fundraisers

**We are going to have a fundraising garage sale on July 21.
We would be so thankful to you if you had anything around your house to donate.  This is a great opportunity to get rid of your unwanted things, help a friend out, and you don't have to organize or tend the garage sale.  Yay!  All proceeds will go to our adoption fund.  Also, if you have large items that you cannot transport, let us know and we will find a way to come and get them.  Spread the word!

**We have set up our online coffee shop with Just Love Coffee Roasters.
Our specific shop is called, "A Whole Latte Love."
For every bag of coffee you buy $5 goes towards our adoption costs.  Again, spread the word!  If you purchase coffee for your office, consider purchasing from our store.  I am not a coffee drinker, but I have been told it is really good, and it's fair trade.  Can't go wrong with this one!
Check out our store's link here 
If the link does not work type this into your search bar up top: justlovecoffee.com/about/beneficiary/thenewcomerfamily/

I would just like to add that the intentions of the letter were not to solicit money from whoever received it.  We simply wanted to share our news and ask for support.  Support in prayer, support in having a positive attitude about it, support in participating in fundraisers we will have.
We plan on having a garage sale.  This is an opportunity that our friends and family can give us their "junk" and we can use the profit to go towards the adoption.
Another example is a coffee shop that gives part of their profits to adopting families (more on that later).
Also, if you are willing to donate frequent flyer miles, as we will be traveling to Ethiopia two times.
These are just some examples for now.  Please do not think that we want you to wire us money or send a check our way.  THAT IS NOT OUR INTENTIONS!
Please forgive my frankness, but we have already received two harsh emails regarding our decision and it  breaks my heart.

The beginning...

**For those that were not on our mailing list, below is our announcement.

June 6, 2012

Dear Family and Friends,

We write this letter to you with much excitement and anticipation, and maybe a little bit of crazy too, over the journey we are embarking on.  For a while now we have wanted to add to our family, and through God’s leading and example we have decided to pursue adoption.   We did not come to this decision lightly but are excited for where this journey will take us. 

We are working with an organization called All God’s Children International and have entered into the Ethiopia program.  Hopefully, in the next year or two we will bring home a sweet brown skinned baby boy or girl.  You may be wondering why we have chosen to adopt a baby that doesn’t “match” our family.  From studying scripture we know that we are called to take care of those who are abandoned and orphaned, and similar to our own adoption as God’s children we feel led to follow the Lord’s example.  As we embrace the Ethiopian culture and love a child that looks different from us, we know the journey will be difficult at times, but all together beautiful as we ultimately believe we find our identity in Christ not in our adversities or differences.

We are writing this letter to share with you our news, and to ask for your support:  

First of all and most importantly, we ask for prayer. We need to be lifted up in prayer for wisdom in our decisions, and for God to make our paths clear.  Also, pray for all of the hands involved, including our child who is waiting.

Secondly and almost as important, we would humbly like to ask for financial support. Adoption is very expensive, and when we finally bring our child home the total cost will be somewhere between $20,000-30,000.  We are confident that God will provide, as he always does, for our journey.

It is our hope that you will partner with us in this important mission. It is the calling on all of us as Christians, to care for widows and orphans. Not everyone is called to bring an orphan into their home, but it is our job to do what we can to care for them. There are many ways to do this- but if this is a mission, if we are a family, who you can believe in, then we would ask you to prayerfully consider donating to our family and to our child.

If you’d like to follow us on our journey, please check out our blog (dansonja.blogspot.com) for updates and additional fundraising opportunities we hope to organize.

“I have chosen you and have not rejected you.  So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” Isaiah 41: 9-10.

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:18

Thank you again for your support and prayers.

With Love,

The Newcomer Family—Dan, Sonja, Selah, and Eli

Contact Information:

3168 SE Hampton Loop

Troutdale, OR 97060

dan.sonja@yahoo.com

Trip to Central Oregon 2012

We had a wonderful week in Central Oregon celebrating Dan turning 30.  Most people that know me know that I am not much of an outdoorsy person, but my husband is.  I prefer to stay home reading a book or watching a movie, he prefers to climb mountains, kayak white water, and ride his bike for long stretches at a time.  So, this trip was a stretch for me, but I loved it.  We enjoyed riding our bikes through Sunriver to the Deschutes River, spotting deer, unique birds, and horses along the way.  We attempted to fish two days, but without success of a catch.  We kayaked with our kiddos, and the dog managed to get a ride in it too.  At the end of each day, after we were worn out from our adventures, we returned to a cute little cabin in La Pine that Dan's aunt and uncle own.  Dan would start a fire in the wood stove and we watched a movie on the couch together.  It was such a lovely time with my family exploring and enjoying God's creation.    

Easter Celebration

He is Risen! He is Risen indeed! He is Risen! Sweet!

Moving along

Just a short update on how the fam is doing. Both kids are doing great!

I have really been impressed by how much Selah has blossomed lately. She has become very brave, and is communicating so well with people now. People are able to see the Selah that we know and love. She has such a sweet, kind and compassionate disposition about her. Her teacher is continually impressed by how far she has come along since she first started in September. We recently had a conference with Selah's teacher and got great comments on how our girl is doing, especially the social aspect. Selah is beginning to read and is doing well with writing her letters. I am so proud of my girl and the progress she has made! Oh that reminds me, we have great news! She was accepted into Corbett Charter School, which is close to us. It's ranked 3rd in the nation. So we are super excited for this opportunity.

What makes my heart smile even more is that a few months back she accepted Jesus into her heart. One day she said she was going to draw a cross on her face so Jesus knew she wanted Him in her heart. So, we sat down and discussed what it meant to be a follower of Jesus. This is just the first step, and I pray that she continues to grow in her understanding and faith in Jesus and never wavers. She daily asks me difficult questions regarding our faith, which causes me to be challenged as well. The other day she said, "where is my heart that Jesus is in?" How do you explain the spiritual heart to a 4 year old? I did my best, but it is questions like this that really require some thought and the Spirit of Wisdom to guide me so that I do not misguide my daughter.

I must tell this funny story. About a week ago the kids were having a night with grandma (my mom). She was reading them a story and Selah was being really wiggly. Here is how the conversation went:

Grandma: Do you have ants in your pants?

Selah: No!

(Selah continues to wiggle)

Grandma: Are you sure you don't have ants in your pants?

Selah: Okay Grandma...(Selah proceeds to pull down her pants)...see I don't have ants in my pants!

One of those, "Kids say the darnedest things!"

Eli is doing well! He is beginning to put 2 and three words together when speaking to us. He is quite confident and outgoing. No fear in talking to people and showing affection. He has already charmed the preteen and teen girls at church. He is adventurous with food as well. He enjoys sneaking coffee and raw onions. He'll eat a bowl of salad and loves hot sauce. His taste buds are abnormally insensitive.

We are struggling with him sleeping at night again. He despises the thought of going to sleep, and fights bed time with a passion. Now determination and passion can be good qualities, we just have to help him channel those in a more productive way. He also must feel that we get lonely at 2 am, because he comes into our room each night. We are trying to break the habit. But at the same time I feel bad and want to cuddle with him, because I know this time will pass all too quickly.

My children are two completely different people, both in personality, and likes and dislikes. I can see that they complement each other well.