Up, up, and away

I had decided that I wanted to do a balloon release as a way of commemorating Lucia's birthday this year.  We weren't able to fit it in on her actual birthday day so we did it today.  The weather cooperated and was lovely. There were seven balloons in honor of her turning seven this year.  

                                       Princess balloons for my little princess.  

At the suggestion of a friend at work I decided to attach a message to the balloons--sort of like a message in a bottle.  I decided to add a personal message to Lucia as well as a request that if anyone finds the letter that they mail it back to me along with a little note telling how and where they found it.  I also included the lyrics to the song Somewhere Out There.  The words resonate with where I am right now in the journey to bring my daughter home.

Somewhere Out There

Somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight

Someone's thinking of me and loving me tonight

Somewhere out there someone's saying a prayer

That we'll find one another in that big somewhere out there

And even though I know how very far apart we are

It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star

And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby

It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky

Somewhere out there if love can see us through

Then we'll be together somewhere out there

Out where dreams come true

And even though I know how very far apart we are

It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star

And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby 

It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky

Somewhere out there if love can see us through

Then we'll be together somewhere out there

Out where dreams come true

Feliz Cumpleaños Baby Girl!

Today Lucas and I had a small party with my best friend and her daughter to celebrate Lucia's 7th birthday.  Here are some photos of our celebration.

                                    "Happy Birthday Lucia ~ Our Little Princess"

                            My best friend's mom (aka Nanny Cheryl) baked my sweet girl a cake.

                                                       Singing Happy Birthday.

                                Her brother did the honors of blowing out the candle.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!  I pray that you are safe and healthy and happy today on your special day.  So many people pray for you each and every day.  You are not forgotten.  You are wanted and loved.  You are daughter and sister and niece and granddaughter and friend.  We can not wait until you are home in our arms forever.  I love you unconditionally ~ no strings attached.
                                                                                                 ~ Your mama

                                             

Update from a Wayward Blogger

It has been way too long since I last posted.  Tomorrow is my sweet Lucia's birthday.  When I began the journey to bring my daughter home, I had no idea that she would not be here to celebrate her 7th birthday with us.  There has been a major delay which I will explain in another blog post.  But, I am still working hard to do what is needed to bring the daughter of my heart home.  Tomorrow, we have some things planned to commemorate her special day, and we pray that she feels the love of her family that is fighting so hard to reach her.  Check back in to see pictures of our birthday celebration.  I promise it will not be another 6+ months before I post about it.

Happy Birthday Lucia Grace!!  Mommy loves you to the moon and back! <3 <3 <3

So Glad for Another Year with Her

Today is my grandmother's birthday.  I am so glad to have another year with her.  I am trying to savor each moment, and not take any of them for granted.  My mother died when I was eleven.  I know the void that loosing someone important leaves.  My grandparents raised my brother, sister, and I after my mom passed away.  And so my grandma is so much more than a grandma to me.  She has been my constant, my rock, my steadfast.

She is the one that has cheered my successes and picked me up when I have fallen.  It was her bed that I slept in for three days in high school when I suffered my first break up.

She walked me down the aisle because it was what I wanted even though it defied convention.  And it was her extra bedroom that I stayed in when my marriage fell apart.

She has nursed me after I had my tonsils out at thirteen and my gallbladder out when I was twenty-three.  She has watched Lucas since he was a baby anytime I have needed her to, and has a special bond with my son.

She has been a supporter of my adoption plans from the very beginning.  I can not wait for my Lucia to meet her great-grandma.  <3 <3 <3 be.still.my.heart!

      
I love you grandma!  And appreciate all that you are in my life.  You are an amazing woman of grace and strength.  I admire and cherish you.
Love, Tracy

Waiting on My Golden Ticket!

No not this kind of golden ticket. ;)  In the adoption world the "golden ticket" is the approval from the U.S. government allowing you to bring an orphan dependent into the country.  I mailed my application to USCIS today.  I have to receive my approval before I can officially submit all my paperwork to Mexico. 

So, now that my part of the paperwork is finished, I am shifting into high gear on the fund raising.  I would love to be fully funded by the end of the summer.  I am hoping that Lucia's Memory Quilt fund raiser will raise the funds necessary for my agency fees.  However, I still need to raise the $8,000 country fee that is due to Mexico when I accept my official referral for Lucia.  I would love to hear your ideas for fund raisers that you think would bring in close to that amount! 

Putting My Heart in a Mailbox

Last Wednesday I FINALLY received the report I had been waiting on.  The final piece of paper that I needed in order to mail out my dossier documents to my agency.  And.it.was.correct!  Thank you so much for your prayers.  The very next day I Fed-exd my documents to my agency.  I did not expect it to be so hard to hand that packet over.  It had taken me three months to paste together those precious documents that will grant me the privilege of becoming momma to the daughter of my heart. 

Handing over my packet felt like putting my heart into a mailbox and walking away.  Needless to say, I was overjoyed Friday to hear that my worker received my paper heart and it was safe and sound. 

Now comes the hardest part--waiting!  I am NOT a patient person.  The agency gives a time frame of one to three months for documents to be translated and apostilled.  While I wait I will be focusing on fund raising.  I still need approximately $13,000 to complete my adoption.  $8,000 of that is a country fee that is due when Mexico approves my dossier and grants me my official referral of Lucia.  But I am confident that as I take each step forward toward my baby girl that God will provide what is needed.  Because that is what He has done. 

I covet your continued prayers for my adoption as well as for my Lucia while she waits. 

Lucia's Memory Quilt - Will you be a piece of bringing her home?

I am so excited to share Lucia's Memory Quilt fundraiser with you!  I am having a snowball signature quilt made for Lucia.  Here is a general picture of the type of design I am talking about.

Each snowball patch on the quilt can be sponsored. By sponsoring a patch on Lucia’s memory quilt, you can help to raise the necessary funds to bring her home as well as help to create a priceless keepsake for her to always remember how many people came together to unite her with her forever family.  Each sponsored snowball patch can be personalized by the sponsor.  Personalization can be typed or hand written. Then the personalization will be printed onto the snowball quilt fabric.  There are four levels of personalization to choose from:

$10 sponsorship level = Personal Signature or Family Name

                         (Tracy Morgan or The Morgans or The Morgan Family)

 

$15 sponsorship level = Signature+Short Message -5 words or less                                       

Some phrase suggestions : “With love,”  “Praying you home!,”   

“We love you!,” “Glad you’re home!,”  “Praying for you,”  

“May God bless you,”or "Welcome home!"

 

$20 sponsorship level = Signature & Longer 1 Block Message or

                                         Individual Signatures of family members

 

$30 sponsorship level = Signature+2 Block Message—

This level allows you the space of 2 snowball blocks to write a longer personal message or perhaps share a Bible verse. 

In order to sponsor a patch simply choose your sponsorship level, make a donation via the chip in at the top left of my blog (or let me know if you prefer to mail a check), and then e-mail me at tracyrenata (at) yahoo (dot) com.  I will then e-mail you the snowball patch template and further instructions. 

Will you consider sponsoring a patch on Lucia's Memory Quilt?  I need between 200 and 250 sponsors to complete the quilt.  Each sponsorship is important to help bring my sweet girl home!

More Waiting

Thank you so much for banding with me in prayer yesterday.  I believe that God heard our petition, and I believe He is in control. 

And yet, my report had several errors that have to be corrected.  So now I am back to waiting.    

I don't believe that this caught God by surprise, and although I was disappointed and frustrated I have total trust in Him.  He has loved my daughter every day of her life -- before I saw her picture, before she became the daughter of my heart, before I worried for her well-being.  He formed her in her birth mother's womb, and He knows the number of hairs on her head.  He loves her perfectly, and promises that He will use ALL things for her good.  And I am trusting in that, and leaning NOT to my own imperfect understanding. 

God whispered this passage from Habakkuk to me several times today.  Words to help guide me and comfort me right where I am in this moment.  I wanted to share it with you because maybe you might find yourself in a similar place.  I hope it encourages your heart the way it did mine, and helps you to praise the Lord in your valley so that He can take you to the mountaintop! 


"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
      and there are no grapes on the vines;
   even though the olive crop fails,
      and the fields lie empty and barren;
   even though the flocks die in the fields,
      and the cattle barns are empty,
 ¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
      I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
 ¹⁹ The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
      He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
      able to tread upon the heights."  Habakkuk 3: 17-19

I would appreciate your on-going prayers for my adoption process and my baby girl while she waits.  <3

Where 2 or 3 are gathered ~ A Prayer Request

The last three months have been spent chasing paper.  Obtaining each official document needed to send to Mexico for my dossier.  It can be a exhausting!  Even for an anal retentive a detail-oriented girl like me who enjoys lists and paperwork and being able to cross things off one by one.

I am happy to say that I have every.single.document I need!  Except one.  One that I thought I would already have by now.  One I did not expect to be waiting on.  

Mexico requires a psychological evaluation during which 5 specific tests are administered.  It took me a while to track down a licensed psychologist in my area that was able to administer the required tests for a reasonable price.  But I did.  And I completed all the testing in one afternoon, and was told that the report would be ready in a few weeks.  That was over six weeks ago.

My notarized report is supposed to FINALLY be ready tomorrow at 4pm.  This is where the prayer request comes in.  Would you please agree with me in prayer?  That the report will be ready as promised, that it will be complete and correct the first time, and that it will be notarized correctly.

As soon as this last report is approved by my agency I will be able to send my complete packet of dossier documents to the agency for translating and apostilling.  That process can take one to three months.  Then my dossier is off to Mexico!!  The sooner that I can get my dossier submitted the sooner I can get a date to go see my baby girl for the first time.  I can hardly wait!  Thank you for praying with me and lending your agreement!


I believe that there is a power unleashed when Christians come together in prayer.  Jesus promises that wherever 2 or 3 of us gather in His name He will be there with us!  What a powerful promise.  So, dear friends is there anything that I can lift up in prayer for you while we are at it?  If you have a prayer request leave it in the comments below so that I can also lift you up!
                                                                                    
         

Winner!! ~ Get the Word Out Giveaway ~

Sorry for the delay in announcing the winner of the $25 Amazon gift card for the Get the Word Out Giveaway I held in May.  The winner who was picked by random.org is #11, Renee, the crazy cajun, Tam!  Thanks to everyone who has helped spread the word about my T-shirt fundraiser!!    

 If you haven't gotten your T-shirt yet you can check out the designs currently available HERE.  And you have to check out my friend Julia's handsome son, Aaron, sporting his ability Tee!!  Too cute!.

Better Late Than Never - A Mother's Day Post

I was sick on Mother's Day this year.  Lucas and I spent the day on the couch in our jammies watching movies and playing Uno.  :)  So this post is belated, but I wanted to take a moment to say that being a mom is my favorite job!  I love my son so much and adore watching him grow into a man.  It is so hard to believe that he will be eleven this year.  So here is my toast to Mommyhood--the most challenging and rewarding adventure a woman can embark on.  Happy Belated Mother's Day to all of you. <3

Get the Word Out Giveaway!

I am working hard to get the word out about my Ability Apparel & Gifts fundraiser.  Would you help me?  Over the next few weeks simply helping me spread the word about my shop will enter you in a giveaway to win a $25 Amazon gift card!  Here is the breakdown of ways you can enter.


*  Write a Blog post = 10 entries
*  Follow Ability_Apparel on Twitter = 3 entries
*  Like Ability Apparel & Gifts Fan Page on Facebook = 3 entries
*  Share on Facebook = 1 entry per day that you share (total of 17 entries if you share each day)
*  Tweet = 1 entry per day that you tweet (total of 17 entries if you share each day)

Simply choose the way(s) that you would like to help spread the word and then come back here to this blog post and leave a comment letting me know what you did.  On Tuesday, May 31st, I will use random.org to draw a winner for the gift card.  Thank you!!!!!!

Ability

As a way to continue raising the necessary funds to bring Lucia Grace home I have had T-shirts (and a few other accessories such as totes, baby bibs, and baby hats) designed to sell.  My idea was to offer positive designs celebrating the abilities of those who normally are only seen in the light of what they may not be able to do.

 

The Ability logo design is a great way to advocate for those who are differently-abled by encouraging others to focus on ability rather than disability.


To celebrate the extra-special blessings that children gifted with an extra chromosome bring their families there is the "eXtra-" design line.

 Currently I have "eXtra-adorable" for girls and "eXtra-tough" for boys. The "X" in the design is a chromosome.

 There are a variety of shirts and products available in each design!  You can visit my shop, Ability Apparel & Gifts, here.  All proceeds go toward adoption expenses to bring Lucia home.  Would you please consider making a purchase from my shop and / or sharing this with your friends and social networks?  I need to sell approximately 5,000 items from the shop for my adoption to be fully funded.  Each purchase makes a difference in bringing my daughter home!!  I appreciate each and every person who is willing to come alongside me by making a purchase or spreading the word.  Thank you! 

**All my designs were done by Wendy Van Ryn of Adopted by Design. Thank you so much Wendy!**

Where 2 or 3 are gathered together in My name, I am there

I L.O.V.E. meeting like minded people! 

Linny at A Place Called Simplicity is one of those people.  Someone whose heart seems to beat in tune with my own.  Someone who seems to get it, and not just get it in word, but in deed.  When I read about her family I think ~ "that is who I want to be like when I grow up." 

When I read statements like:

"He has blessed us so that we would bless others.  Our wealth is not to hoard - not a chance!!  It's to give away."


and

 "We are to live to please Him by taking care of orphans, caring for the widows, serving the poor, giving our things away, living to meet the needs of others not our own personal wants."

and

"Friends, God did not put us on this earth to indulge ourselves.  He put us here to love Him first and serve others. Period. To care for the orphan and widow. To minister to the poor. To live selflessly."

I get SO excited!  So excited that someone else has verbalized the truths that God has been speaking to my heart over the last three years.  Today Linny has asked those in the process of adopting to share their prayer needs as well as their fundraisers so that we can support one another.  I am so honored to hook into the power of unity that she is rallying by employing the Matthew 18: 19-20 principle!! 

This is my precious baby girl ~ Lucia Grace.  I am adopting from Mexico as a single mom.  Currently I am finishing up my dossier, and getting ready to send off my I-800A to USCIS.  I still need approximately $15,000 to complete my adoption and bring my sweet girl home.  I would appreciate your prayers for my paperwork to continue to go smoothly.  Please also pray for Lucia's health as she has been prone to upper respiratory infections and ear infections. 

I have 2 current fundraisers going on right now:


Thirty-One Gifts Fundraiser:  You can shop my on-line party anytime between now and Thursday, March the 24th!  My generous friend Jacqui is donating her commission so 20% of all sales will go toward Lucia's adoption!  Also, the March special is one of the company's best EVER ~ spend $31 in merchandise and get ANY purse 1/2 off!!

Sarah's Treasure Box Fundraiser:  My fundraiser runs from Thursday, March the 17th through Saturday, March the 19th.  I will earn $5 for each pendant purchase through Sarah's Etsy shop during this time.  (Gift card purchases and custom orders do NOT count toward my fundraiser)  When you place your order you MUST put in the notes it is for Lucy for the Morgan family.  If you forget you can message Sarah to let her know.  Sarah's pendants are SUPER affordable ($7.99 - $14) and SUPER cute!

Tax deductible donations can be made anytime through my Reece's Rainbow Family Grant Sponsorship page here.

I am so grateful to each person that has come alongside me in this adoption journey and given so generously of their time, their prayer covering, their encouragement, their monetary donations, and their love!  My prayer for you is that "...it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap." (Luke 6:38)

Consider the Lilies

'“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."  ~ Matthew 6: 25 - 34

I have always liked this passage in Matthew.  Over the last five months, I have used this passage as a compass as I navigate the waters of international adoption.  I determined in the beginning that I would NOT worry about distant tomorrows, but instead focus on accomplishing the tasks that I have to do each day.  It is a daily focusing and re-focusing, but it has helped me to keep my eyes on God instead of sinking in the overwhelming amounts of paperwork and money that are needed to finish this journey and bring my baby girl home. 

And oh, how faithful God has been!  As each deadline comes and paperwork and money are due, He has supplied!!  He has shown Himself faithful through the generosity of friends and strangers.  I have had friends donate large sums and friends that have handed me $20 bills.  I know that God has ordained each $ that is needed to complete Lucia's adoption.  I may not know where it is all coming from, but He does.

I currently have two fundraisers running that I wanted to share with you.  Both fundraisers came about because of generous women who are willing to donate proceeds from their own businesses to Lucia's adoption.  Would you please consider making a purchase to help bring Lucia home?  Would you please share these fundraisers with your friends and family?  Each purchase makes a difference.  Thank you!!




Thirty-One Gifts Fundraiser:  You can shop my on-line party anytime between now and Thursday, March the 24th!  My generous friend Jacqui is donating her commission so 20% of all sales will go toward Lucia's adoption!  Also, the March special is one of the company's best EVER ~ spend $31 in merchandise and get ANY purse 1/2 off!!   Here are a few Thirty-One items that I really like.........

Sarah's Treasure Box Fundraiser:  My fundraiser runs from midnight tonight through Saturday, March the 19th.  I will earn $5 for each pendant purchase through Sarah's Etsy shop during this time.  (Gift card purchases and custom orders do NOT count toward my fundraiser)  When you place your order you MUST put in the notes it is for Lucy for the Morgan family.  If you forget you can message Sarah to let her know.  Sarah's pendants are SUPER affordable ($7.99 - $14) and SUPER cute!  Here are a few of my favorites.....

My word for 2011: Growth

I have always went over the top with New Year's resolutions.  I have approached them like some sort of do-it-yourself extreme personal makeover.  At the start of each new year I would think to myself:  I am going to eat healthier, exercise more, read my Bible everyday, be a more patient mother, and the list would go on and on.  And for a while I would, and then like most good intentions my resolutions would fizzle out and I would go back to my status quo.

So this year I have decided to do something different.  This year I have decided to pick a word to define my 2011.  The lens so to speak through which to view the next 365 days and all that they bring.  After some thought the natural choice for me was growth.  2011 was already going to be a year of growth for me because Lucia will be coming home this year, and my family will be growing.  And as I looked at other aspects of my life I realized that there were some other ways in which I am hoping to grow in 2011:


Financial Growth : My mobile home will be paid in full - no more monthly mortgage payment!!  (Yup, I am the queen of my single wide trailer -- I will be posting on that soon, and all that God has been working on in my heart through my anti-American dream home. ;)

Physical Growth: Well, in my case physical reduction. ;)  I am half way to my goal of losing 60 lbs.  So this year I want to keep going and reach my goal!

These are just some of the ways that I can see myself growing this year.  But the difference is this year even if some of these goals fall by the wayside, I can stay on track by simply looking for the opportunities I am presented for personal growth in 2011.  I am going to be on the lookout for ways to grow--in  my relationships, in my integrity, in my loving, in my giving, in my emotional well being.  Through the good, bad, mundane, surprising, and the ordinary I am going to focus on growth.

So, how about you?  What is your word for 2011?