Adoption Happenings in 2015

I think I said it in my last post...I've really stunk at updating you guys the past several months.  There just hasn't been a lot happening, so it feels kinda dumb to post an update.  Make sense? Some days it does to me, some days it doesn't. Either way - here we are now, nearing the last week of March 2015.

If you had asked me in January 2013 (when we started the process) where we'd be in March 2015, I would've confidently told you that we would've been home with our son for several months.  But God had other plans that apparently include us waiting for much longer than anticipated.

But our wait is nothing compared to the wait on the other end of adoption.  The wait where it's babies, toddler, children, pre-teens, and teenagers...waiting for someone to come for them.  We wait with friends and family holding us up on our weakest and hardest days.  But them? Many times there's no one.  No one holding, encouraging, telling them to "Just hold on...God's got a family for you." No one.

So we wait...longer than expected...but we still wait with hope and encouragement and assurance that there is a sweet and precious little boy in Colombia who needs us to be his family.  It's not an honor that we take lightly - being allowed to parent a precious child like this.

The extra wait is sad, but there's also some fun and exciting happenings, as well.

Our agency, Lifeline Children's Services, recently hired a new representative on the ground in Colombia.  We have heard incredible things about Soraya and we're so excited to be working with her now, as well! She has a lot of connections with private orphanages (or casas) and now our agency is able to work not only through ICBF for connecting families and children, but also through several private casas, as well.  This is huge, y'all,  Huge!! Our social worker recently visited Colombia and returned with a LOT of files of precious kiddos waiting to be advocated for and adopted. Please keep this transition to our new rep and all of these new partnerships in your prayers and praise God with us for making these things happen!!

Our sweet friends, Tim and Kelly Singletary, make these world-famous (well, at least Slidell famous) tacos.  Y'all...you can eat these things 3 days later and it's still the best taco you've ever allowed your mouth to withhold!! Well, they came to us about a week ago and said they wanted to do a Taco Dinner fundraiser for us. Um...perfection!!! Yummy tacos and just being loved in this way...y'all, it's way too incredible.  And it's even better - our Sunday School class is partnering with them and providing the desserts for the dinner boxes! But that's not all, oh no, that is not all (Cat in the Hat, anyone?)...Tim and Kelly's care group have joined in and said "We'll cover the cost of the food!" So that means that ever single dollar of every single dinner box sold goes straight into our adoption account.  How great is our God?!?!

So here's the deal, Slidellians.  I've created an event on Facebook....Coleman Family Taco Dinner Adoption Fundraiser and tried to scroll through my friend list and invite every Slidell resident...if I missed your name I am so sorry, but you most definitely invited so head on over and let us know how many dinner boxes you want! Here's the details, thanks to my incredibly talented graphic designer sister, Maley, at Made by Maley (hop over, check her out, like her page)

Also, it'd be so awesome if any of you Slidellians could share the event on your Facebook page, as well and invite your friends.

Or gather your friends together for a dinner party, birthday party, "I Miss Football Season" party...whatever...and grab some tacos to go with your fun evening!

All that remains of our fees are our traveling expenses...airline tickets and hotel/food/translation accommodations while we are in Colombia. We know that this fundraiser will knock off some of that $8k...but what we really want - is for the people who are doing this for our little family by cooking, helping out, baking, and attending to know just how much we love you.  I have no idea, honestly, how we're ever going to fully convey to our little guy the amount of love that so many people put forth to bring him home!!

So make your Saturday night, April 11 plans with us and help us bring One More Home!!