Flashback to June 2011 (Remembering the Miracles-Part I)

In faith......we believed.

05/27/11 - Our Ugandan attorney filed our case in court, to await the assignment of a court date by the court registrar. (ie placing us on a particular judge's calendar) This day is our precious adoptive daughter Nuluu's birthday.  God was encouraging my belief against all odd's, for a court date before the UG Judicial System break in July....

05/31/11- Sometime over Memorial Weekend, our USCIS approval arrived in the mail. We received a verbal approval over the phone the week before and told our UG attorney immediately so she could file our case. 

06/13/11- Felt an unbearable prompting to fast regarding our court date assignment. Feeling downright unworthy and guilty to even lay a request for a timeline kind of prayer before the Lord...I began a fast and intense time of prayer...with a holy passion to believe Him for what truly seemed impossible and down right too much to ask for.

06/15/11- Didn't want to be legalistic... I didn't know how long I was to fast...but some part of me felt like I was to continue until we heard an answer (that was kind of scary, faith rattling... I mean it was commonly a month+ or months before parents got word)

06/16/11 - I really believed I would hear something this Thursday morning. With each passing day, the chances of it happening before July 15th were slipping away. Other families had aleady been assigned days in August/September. Who was I to think we would get one?
UG is 8 hours ahead of us..and so if you didn't have an email in the morning...it usually wasn't happening. I was crushed when on day 3 of my fast there was no word (but declaring all along during this week, I didn't want it on MY time, didn't want it NOW if it wasn't what God has for us. I can only describe it as a force outside myself, (something greater than me) in a way like no other in my life, that would not let me let it go. This force would not let me give up and just reside myself to later.

On this evening, I cried out to God...questioning this hope - this faith, that the Holy Spirit was clearly growing in me, clearly prompting and stoking in me... I was questioning myself and I kept coming back to Abraham. I felt in such turmoil...even digressing in my raw moment with God to ask if He loved me? Was all this in His will? I just loved Him so and wanted this all to be in His timing.

On this evening, I felt I'd said it all. Proclaimed all my faith in God to do the impossible and laid all my hearts thoughts, dreams and requests at Jesus' feet. It was finished and I ate a late dinner.

06/17/11- On this Friday morning, I wasn't up all night praying as the night before. I wasn't checking email, like an insane person. I was asleep, sound asleep, resting in peace. And my husband's voice rang out in the quiet, "Mandi get UP! get UP!" "We have a date!" (those of you who know me, you know I'm not a morning person)

I sat up like a crazed person... I remember shouting "WHAT?! WHAT?! as I realized he was checking email on his phone. My eyes struggled to adjust to the phone screen in the dark as I read through tears, our faces smushed together, the following words:


"I was at the Court yesterday and your matter has been fixed for hearing on the 1st day of July, at 2:30pm; Thank you for your prayers!! Kindly make your travel arrangements in time, and we hope you can be in Uganda at least three days prior to your court date so that we can meet before court."

This is really happening.  God made a way.  God heard my prayers.  He wanted me to believe in FAITH...and for once I did.  I wept over the cry of my heart the night before, and felt like a spoiled child...crushed under the weight of the truth, YES he loves me....oh, how He alone loves me.  I selfishly asked for a sign, and this time, unlike so many other times before, I got confirmation as a mountain moved right before my eyes.  We were going to Uganda to begin the real journey of bringing home our two children.  Little did I know, that in FIVE days...yes you read that right, FIVE DAYS, I would be on a plane with my husband, bound for Entebbe. 

Now picture a CRAZY woman, like a child pinging off the walls on Christmas morning, crying, laughing, permanent smile glued on my face, more crying, spaced out crazy excited Momma...and you see what I looked like for the next 4 days.  

To be continued.....

Memorial Weekend, just 2 weeks before...I made a blind hair appointment with someone out-of-town.  On a whim I got all my hair chopped off.  I said, "I just feel like I'm going to Africa soon, and I'm about to have 5 kids. "

This is what our tribe looked like just 7 days before we got assigned a court date.

My little homeschool tribe asked me to bandage them....the goofy, the wounded.

I love these little munchins.



Water for my Thirst

Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young--a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God. Psalm 84:3

I had the priviledge of attending a retreat last weekend.  Not just any retreat, but one that only existed for the first time last spring.  Now in it's 2nd year, Created for Care, was designed for adoptive mothers....those called and curious and needing information, those in the midst of the weary and long process, and those home and in need of equipping, strengthening, refreshing, and the listening ear of someone who understands.  It was a complete mix of domestic and international adoptive families represented..but I was so blessed to eat dinner at a table of women who have all adopted from Uganda, like me, and I had only seen their names on facebook.  Now I have faces, voices and hearts that I can reach out to in our crazy high-tech world and feel a little less alone. 
 
I fell into the later category of adoptive mommas.  I was dry parched earth in need of help.  The skinny letters on this page can not begin to contain the gratitude I have for Andrea who said YES when the Lord placed this retreat on her heart.  I was able to worship with a room full of over 400 like-hearted women for 3 days. I was able to hear other Moms and adoption educators offer wisdom as only those who have "been there, done that" can.  I was refreshed and refueled once again to keep going, keep believing, keep loving.  Sometimes the weight of how this thang is going to turn out....weighs me down.  But this weekend I was reminded so lovingly by my Heavenly Father that, I am not RESPONSIBLE....for how they all turn out.  I am responsible to walk in obedience to God's calling on my life and follow Him one step at a time in sweet surrender...that's it.  That alone was worth the whole trip.
 
I encourage anyone "thinking" about adopting, to those home and in need of help like me to read more about Created for Care.  The response and need has been so great, they are doing a repeat in March and there are about 70  25 spots remaining.

Our Story of Love

Here's a glimpse at the "highlights" of our first 3 months home from Uganda with Nuluu and Freddie. 

We must testify to the joys that made the trials all worth it.  They are not all behind us, but Praise God, His mercies are new each morning.   Creating this video which took WAY longer than it should have [note the time of this post, UGH (mom don't say a word ;)]....stinking compatibility problems, was therapy for my soul.  We all need to remember the milestones, remember just how far God has brought us thus far.  It is my heart's desire to daily have a grateful attitude this year.  I hope to fight the enemy's attacks on my mind (via my circumstances) with Praises to My KING, amidst the storms that come my way.  Don't Forget to PAUSE the Player at the bottom of the page before you play the video :)

Don't ask what the issue is with the slides of text... I guess you'll have to pause if anyone really cares about the words anyway ;)  I give up and now I've found my first complaint with a Picasa product...bummer.

Oh Father

Oh Father...

 

Flies, wasps, ants,  they all chase after me

Fears, worries, anxieties,  I give them all to Thee

The power of the wind, reminds me you are near

In you alone I trust, whom shall I fear?

My children of the pearl, I know nothing of their hearts

Our lack of communication, is tearing me apart

Praise God it's only temporary

for it's His plan you see

One day my precious children

will finally be with me

WIN a Signed copy of "Radical Together"

I am so excited to say, that if you just gave to Compass in my Heart, for a chance to win a SIGNED copy of the newly released book by David Platt, titled "Radical Together"....first of all God bless you for giving to their ministries in the Bugabo Village...and now

YOU HAVE A SECOND CHANCE to WIN!!!

And a new opportunity to bless our family

 and the two children we are adopting from Uganda!

"Radical Together - Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God" from David Platt on Vimeo.

For those of you who don't know us yet, or didn't know about Christie's giveaway... I was one of three winners drawn from her giveaway tonight.  She is a missionary in Uganda and my friend, and her recent visit to the states allowed Pastor David to sign her 3 copies after the Easter service.  I never win anything, so God has blessed me with this copy so that I can give it away to a special someone and help to get my babies one step closer to being home with us.  We are in the last week of our paperwork race to our son and daughter who wait for us in Uganda.  Once we have that final APPROVAL, our attorney can file our cases and we await God's appointed time for us to get a court date and go to bring our children home.  So we could be traveling in a month or 3 months...we are believing God for the remaining $7000 needed to bring them home.

So how can YOU enter to win a Signed COPY of the book??

Make a donation - $5 = 1 entry or $12 = 3 entries

Share the link to our blog on FB (in addition to any donation amt) = 1 entry

Blog about this fundraiser (in addition to any donation amt) = 3 entries


Once you've entered, post a comment below letting me know which "additional" way you've entered. If you just chose to make a donation, I will see that in Paypal so there's no need to comment. However, if you share the link on FB or write a blog post about it, PLEASE let me know so your additional entry is counted!


Our family can't thank you enough for all your prayers and support thus far.  A day doesn't go by that my kids don't ask when their brother (3) and sister (5) will be here with us.  It is a miraculous and beautiful thing to see a love grow so much in their hearts for siblings they have never seen or touched.  We give God all the praise for what he is doing already in our journey and we humbly pray that you will support us again through this fundraiser.  Please know that every dime that isn't absolutely required for our adoption (we've budgeted with great thrift) will be spent ministering to the widows and orphans of Uganda.  We will return with nothing.  Thank you for participating...almost forgot the most important part...

Winner will be drawn in ONE WEEK,

on MAY 15th!!!

If you want to check out the first chapter, you can read it here.

Pastor David Platt's first book, Radical, spoke profoundly to me and my husband and challenged us, and rocked us to the core of who we are as Christ followers. 

So much love in my heart tonight on Mother's Day...as I long to have all my babies together.   How do you live with your heart on two continents?  Only by the sustaining love of my Heavenly Father.

Love,

Mandi

P.S.  Much fundraising madness on the way...HUGE yard sale finally this Friday and Saturday..."Bring Them Home" prayer pins coming next week, more precious dolls in African dresses, AND beautiful Ugandan bead necklaces. God will make a way with every penny.

One of those days...

that feels like this.

It hasn't been all bad.

  But huge chunks of the last several days..have felt like this.

 Are you with me?  We all have these days.  How do you reboot?

{Okay this post is a hodge podge if there every was one.. and I warn you it is all over the place.  I only got about 3.5 hours of sleep last night before getting up for our fingerprint appt. [btw, fingerprints done... and now we wait for APPROVAL :)]  and I'm going to bed now, without editing this. Maybe I'll get a good laugh out of this one day when I look back.  I never got around to what I set out to write about, ha!  I'm downright delirious...this is why sleep deprivation is a torture technique...our brains do not work right without a basic amount of sleep. :)}  My writing will reflect a state that looks like this...

For those of you who know me in real life (tee hee) you know that I'm an open book kinda gal.  Some would say too much so ;).  Apparently the ability to edit or simplify experiences when sharing, is one that completely missed me.  Soooo, I'm a bit long-winded.  I don't really like this about myself, in fact in recent years, it's really started to aggravate me because now I am painfully aware that I do it (share too much) and seem to be completely powerless to change.  So there you have it, this is me. 

I'm no expert on the adoption process or on the theology of adoption.  However, the knowledge of both has intersected in my life and I believe changed me and my husband and the future of our family forever.  I'm not even finished with this book yet, but anyone who wants a greater understanding of why adoption? why now?  This book is teaching me and putting together things that I have felt in my heart, but not had the full knowledge and understanding to articulate.  



 I know that so much of my journey thus far has been encouraged, eased and aided by the blogs of those who were willing to talk about their journey, to share information, and to be transparent about their lives.  So having said that, please feel free to comment and ask questions and I will reply by email if you like.

I find it interesting how American lifestyle and culture has changed SO MUCH in just 2 generations.  We now live in a time, where I feel before I even say that we are adopting 2 more children... I must preface it with , "Yes, I know we must be CRAZY!"  When I share, I immediately feel like I need to offer a disclaimer.  Usually the facial expression of the other person creates this compulsion (although I know it shouldn't) to explain WHY?  or why two?  I know I've got to get over this, because when we are united as a trans-racial family there are going to be many more questions and I'm not going to be making public service announcements in Wal-mart.  Okay, so by DIFFERENT from just 2 generations ago, I mean that my grandmother was 1 of ELEVEN children.  My husband's grandmother was 1 of TEN children.  People had lots of babies, and they all worked on the farm.  Hard work, the kind most of us don't come near in our daily lives.  Did our great-grandparents sit around and discuss ad nausea if they could afford it?  If it was fair the to the other 10 kids?  What do you think?  I think not.  Actually their lives were much closer to the reality of the culture where our adoptive children wait, than anything we've ever known.  Life was much simpler.  They didn't have ALOT.  They didn't have stuff.  They DID have family and a closeness that we are losing.  My grandmother Lucy's relationship with her siblings is a beautiful thing.  I've had the privilege of observing and experiencing their love myself as I've grown up.  My grandmother and one of her older sisters actually married brothers, and I grew up in the same town as all 4 of them.  My grandmother and her siblings, even as they aged and had grandchildren and great-grandchildren have managed to get together twice yearly to break bread and fellowship.  It is not just ritual...there is real relationship and love there on a level that I think,we are losing. 

They had family and they had faith.  We have filled our lives with alot of other "stuff and activities" that can crowd out the only two that will matter for eternity (our faith and the people we love as our neighbors and share it with).  This is something, our family is trying to be aware of and purposefully reclaim.  I ask myself more often these days, when the details of life get us twisted...when there's stress and decisions to be made...will any of this matter one day?  will the thing we are fretting over ever even be discussed when we are in Heaven for eternity?  What does God want Mandi to focus on?  And how does a simplified life hold some of the keys to what He wants for us? 

Yes I know if this were a paper (as my 3rd grader just got his back) I would fail on transitions and a focus to what I'm saying.  But hey, while I am all over the place, do you hear the new Jamie Grace song on my playlist??? I LOVE THIS SONG....it just puts Joy in my heart.  I know my songs aren't always the most suitable for blog reading...you may have to mute or turn 'em down occasionally.  However, know this...what you hear on here is ME, it is me to a tee.  I have to really love it, it has to mean something to me or put some groove in my step for me to put it on here.  I love this new artist and Toby Mac on there too. 

Okay Night,

Mandi

P.S. Spell check is hating me right now and my made up words.  English teachers were not my fans...that's why I ended up in math and science.  God bless you for reading this :)

I'm in Love with the Mailman!!!

Got your attention, huh!

All the good news comes in the mail recently.

  Many things have happened since my last post so
 let me see if I can give you the run down.  

• Had a succesful consignment sale  (1st ever) and raised $308 for our adoption.
• While visiting family in my husband's hometown, my brakes went out on the van.  I was talking to a friend as I approached a 4 way stop (fortunately on a country road and the kids were not with me) and in seconds was standing up on the BRAKES trying to stop the mother of all vans. ;)
• Thank the Lord, I got stopped safely, an was able to get repaired the same day.  Yes, score one for the Enemy on the Adoption Fund--Hate to tell him we are not DETERRED!  God didn't flinch, and neither did my Spirit.
• The kids and I were able to get away and spend time with precious family & cousins that live far away.  We had a great week!
• While on vacation, I was sewing African Doll dresses, and my machine broke down :(
• It's taken getting home, finding a repair place (2 hrs. away) and finally getting there with the 3 kiddos, to get the adoption dolls back in full swing.
• Was totally blessed when the repairman charged me 1/3 of what he should have:  Turns out He is the man that sold my husband the machine 9 years ago when I was pregnant with my firstborn.  We moved away, shortly thereafter, and it was my first trip back.  It was cool to take my 3 kiddos to the park where I used to walk and bike back when it was just me and their daddy. 
• After Spring Break, it has been and is still a juggling act (not a very entertaining one) of trying to homeschool two, keep # 3 out of trouble, keep sewing [cause I'm "sew", (tee hee) thankful for this Adoption Fundraiser.  So keep sharing and buying!], and keep the daily household stuff going, and prepare for our YARD SALE.  Whew!  It's busy, but good. Crazy, but blessed.  I wouldn't want it any other way. 
• The Mission Team returned from Uganda.  My babies LOVED their photo books!  I have photographs of them sitting in laps and reading them.  I see their precious fingertips gliding over the pages.  I see their eyes dance across the pages that I poured out my heart over and prayed over.
• My kids received their gifts from us.  My daughter looked lovely in her new dress.  And to my delight, when the box was opened with dolls for the oldest 5 girls in the home, she grabbed up all 5, clutching them all for dear life.  We'll have plenty of time to learn about sharing later.  I'm just joyful that she wanted them, that she wanted something her Momma made for her.  Apparently just like with all girls, there was a scramble over the different dresses that the 5 dolls were wearing.  Everyone wanted the PINK ONE ((surprise))! 
• My son had on his new PJs and as always was smiling from ear to ear.  Just today I received in the mail, the outlines of my children's feet from one of the team members.  (THANK You Charli!!!)  I know it sounds strange (or maybe not) I was overjoyed!!  I mean it was a wrinkled up Chic-Fil-A receipt, and two sheets of a mini notebook taped together with the outlines of my children's little feet.  Just a week ago they were standing on these, while a precious friend knelt down and ran an ink pen around their toes.  I wonder if it tickled? I wonder if they thought what are these crazy Mzungus doing?!??
• So I love the Mailman cause all our updates and encouragement comes in the mail.  Today I received the footprints of my children straight from Ug*nda...fun comparing them to our kids at home and figuring out who is bigger.
• Lastly I received our fingerprint appointment cards.  You see the adoptive community knows that with those cards in hand, you can "walk-in" to have your biometrics taken long before the scheduled time 2 weeks out.  There is only one day this week, that my hubbie's schedule would allow him to make the 2.5 hour trip one mornin to the nearest USCIS center in Charleston, SC...and that is Wednesday.  I had a 2 day window hoping the cards would come and they did.  Praising the Lord!
• Now, reality check, these prints are the last piece of this paperwork journey that Jeremy and I have any semblance of control over.  I mean we can go get these done early, and when they are complete we can make phone calls until we get our approval.  But other than calling to check, from here on out, even after the approval there is "nothing" we can do but trust God with the timeline and every detail between now and having our children all together at home. 
• The fact that things have been pretty quick and smooth for us thus far, may be about to come to big old HALT.  I'm not being negative, just realistic...there's a list of families waiting on a Court Date and they are stacking up by the day.  So unless the log jam gets rolling, we too will wait a good bit.  I'm just sharing this now, cause I don't know what God is up to, and I just want to praise Him in advance.  IF He works it out and keeps us rolling along at this pace, He gets all the Glory! (He gets it all anyway)  Right now, August is looking optimistic, but God is in the impossible business, so I'm along for the ride.  June is still a possibility IF things get rolling, and babies start coming home.

Speaking of waiting, will you please say a prayer for my dear friends the Moodys.  They began their adoption journey to their two precious sons back in September.  They have truly been waiting, in a way that I have not.  They know it's all in God's timing, and they fully trust in His plan.  Just pray for movement on their case, pray for their adoptions to be filed in court this FRIDAY.  Will you join me in praying for them?  Pray for God's favor to be on their process as they long more every day to have those precious 1 & 2 year old sons in their arms. 

Back to my sewing machine,
Mandi

Cosmetics for a CAUSE:)

Welcome to a 3-day MARY KAY party! 20% of all purchases go to Bring Our Children Home! 
We are so thankful for the generosity of my college suitemate, Stacy Lange, who is an independent beauty consultant with Mary Kay. Stacy and I have reconnected over facebook, but hadn't talked since college. She emailed with this great idea and offered to give FREE SHIPPING to all orders over $40 along with a GIFT.
*Please REMEMBER to put "JOHNSON ADOPTION" in the Comment Box when ordering *

CLICK the title "Cosmetics for a Cause" above to SHOP from Stacy's website.

I actually love Mary Kay products and have used them for years. Even if you've never tried their products before, there are some great Mother's Day GIFT ideas in this e-catalog. Thanks for taking a look. Thanks for sharing with any other friends that might enjoy this offer. Above everything else, I thank you for praying for our family and believing with us that God is going to provide all that is needed to fund what He has laid on our hearts to do through the adoption of our children.

God Bless You ALL!

Here's the Link to Shop!  New Products 

SALE starts this Morning! 

Party from MONDAY April11th at 8am 'til WEDNESDAY night, April 13th at 11:59pm

Thank you everyone!

Adoption Process Milestone



4D ultrasound of twins in womb



OUR I-600A was mailed to USCIS (Immigration Services) on Friday.  Once it is officially logged in the queue, we will wait for our appointment to have our biometrics taken (last set of federal fingerprints) and then Lord willing within the next 6 weeks from when they received it (should've been today) we will obtain our APPROVAL to adopt 2 precious children from the beautiful country of Ug*nda!!!!!

I still can't believe this is happening.  There were SO many times in the last 9 months when I just didn't know if it would.  I felt like I'd lost my mind with these desires that had been planted in my heart SO STRONGLY, and yet the tumultously turns of orphan ministry and just life changes in general made it seem like it was no where in the plan.  I mean why would God give me this desire, keep it there after I prayed for Him to remove it (if by any chance it was an act of my flesh wanting to serve in a way that was not His plan alone for our family) and then crush me by making it an impossibility?? Well that's just it, God doesn't do that.  He loves us.  Yes, He planted those desires.  Yes He is fulfilling the plans to bring those desires to action in His glorious plan. But YES, He said wait, and wait, and wait and I'm sure there is more waiting to come.  Why? Because those are His mysterious ways...those ways that always make more sense, as the image of His hand so clearly emerges when we walk out of the other side of an act of obedience, or a storm in life, or a season of growing.  It is all about His glory.  It is all about keeping me and my husband utterly dependent on Him. 

We aren't even to the tough parts of this process yet, and I already have a closer walk with the Lord because of it.  I wish I had the words to express what it feels like to have the Lord be more to me, to give me increasing joy inspite of the painful silence of those around me.  That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt all the same.  But it doesn't rip me up and completely hijack my emotional state, as most things of this nature have in the past.  I'm learning more and more what it feels like to let the Lord's approval be the only thing I seek.   While I could sit here and whine about how much it breaks my heart that almost no one asks to see pictures of my children (no sonogram to speculate over), and no one says, "I just can't wait to have them home!" or "I'm so excited for you!" (like news of pregnancies past) ... none of that sympathy compares to what I really need from anyone reading this.  That, my friend is prayer. 

Pray for my children, my son (*) and my daughter (*).  Pray for the fear, loss and confusion that they are going to experience as a part of this process that will ultimately be for their good, and blessing and to fulfill God's plan for their lives in the midst of a sinful world that has robbed them of His original plan for their families.  Jeremiah 29:11.  Yes, I am believing God to fulfill wonderful plans in our family and in the individual lives of all 5 of our children...but that doesn't mean that it isn't going to come without a price or without pain.  There will be sacrifice required by all, and yes it will be required of those really too young to give their permission or even understanding of what's to come.  And yet, I'm not sweating that, because how many of us took a poll from the children we had at the time before "trying" again to get pregnant?  Adoption shouldn't make it any different.  God is choosing to bless us with more children, how they get here doesn't matter.  He knew them before He formed them in their mother's womb...and He knew they would be in our forever family. 

Pray for the miracles that must take place in their precious little hearts and minds to be at peace in leaving the only life they've ever known.  Please imagine what your 5 year old would say, if you were about to put them on a plane to go live with people who don't look like them, who don't talk like them, who are different in every way from the only security they've ever know in a loving orphan home of the last 2 years.  We are not doing a grand "thing", we are not the rescuers, we are simply another tool in the hands of Jesus who showed us that practical needs must be met first before you can have any impact in sharing the gift of the Gospel.  These children need a FAMILY, and we are a FAMILY.  It's that simply.  What God wants to do with our family beyond that, is His.  

Thank you for reading this.  Thank you even more for commenting.  More than anything I covet your prayers. 

I can not stop without sharing here on my blog, how eternally grateful I am to my precious new friend, Charli.  I met Charli on our first trip to Ug*nda last summer.  She is an amazing young woman who loves the Lord and has a personality and gifting that is absolutely CAPTIVATING.  She is on another mission trip right now, to the home where my children are and to Home of Hope  (an orphan home for children with severe special needs).  Charli is the precious one who agreed to personally deliver and read the photobooks to my waiting son and daughter in Ug*nda.  She is the one who will try to take in their faces, their hearts as they "see" their adoptive family for the first time.  Only the Lord knows on what level they are even able to understand what adoption means at this point.  As I type the very first child to ever be adopted from their orphan home, is just weeks away from completing the guardianship process in Ug*nda.  Thank you Charli, for letting the Lord use you in such a powerful way to bless our family and to love and hold my children when I can't.  I am praying for your team.

Adoption Dolls Fundraiser

                 is happening thanks to you my blog readers and friends from facebook.

I still can't get over how God handed me our first fundraiser out of nowhere.
As I stood there Friday night scratching my head, looking down at a tape measure wrapped around the plush little body of a princess with the cutest doll face I've ever seen, I wondered, "HOW on EARTH do I cut a dress pattern out of nothing?"
I had no idea how God would bless my efforts, bring some 3 dimensional thinking out from the cobwebs of my never used (oops, don't read that mom & dad) engineering education, and fashion something that would delight others as much as me.

I thank you in advance for stopping by, for looking at my labor of love.
The base doll is a 9" Hasbro Baby Alive, and I've created an original
African dress for her to remind you to pray for the orphans of Africa.
It is a great gift for all children.  It is also a great educational toy. 

The fabric for Dress #2, was purchased in Ug*nda this past summer.  So glad I listened to a friend who said, "JUST BUY IT!"  When I was indecisive about purchasing, not knowing when our adoption journey would EVER begin.

Each doll is yours for a $30 donation.

Please add $3 for shipping.

Doll donations can be made by check through the mail:

Johnson Family

405 Oak Lane

Rincon, GA 31326

OR conveniently by Paypal using the Donate link top right.
(give Dress # in Paypal comments & double check shipping address)

If you want to know more about the doll & dress details you can read about it here.
Feel free to email questions to:  mandij75@yahoo.com

I hope the dolls bring the recipient just a fraction of the joy you are giving our family as you give to our efforts to bring our two children,

our son and daughter,

home from Ug*nda.

Love, Mandi

 IF you are paying by mail, leave your order details...which dress you would like in a comment and I will get started on your dress.  I will confirm by email the receipt of your payment and again when the dolls ship.



I love God Moments....

especially when the Lord chooses to give me one so off the beaten path and in a time of great heartache.  He knows my every thought and He loves me soooo much.  The creator of the universe, who placed the stars in the sky and formed the intricate miraculous systems of the human body....thinks about me, is concerned with my heart and orchestrates a moment just to love and encourage me and to tell me that yes, I'm on the path He has for us, just keep going one step at a time. 

My sweet husband received a nice suit from his parents for Christmas, and it wasn't the right size.  So for 2 months we have failed to orchestrate a return to the mall in Savannah, after many aborted attempts.  We don't go to the city much, and our big ole loaf of bread van doesn't get the fuel economy of a Prius, so we try to make multiply stops to justify a trip.  This weekend my family was in town for a great visit and Friday included a picnic in one of the historical squares of Savannah, a walk along the river walk, a purchase of dresses for the older girls at the children's home where our kids are in Ug*nda, and finally a pitstop by the mall for shoes for the kids and Jeremy's SUIT RETURN.  Seriously, we had a few days before the max 90 days to return was reached.  At the end of a long day, with no naps, we were on borrowed time with the kiddos.  Grandparents headed to the shoe department with the littles, I hit the makeup counter for the one thing I was getting with a rebate card, and Jeremy headed to Men's.  As I pushed  my youngest in the stroller, I debated whether to try and catch my husband and ride the elevator up...but I did.  I found him with his return complete, but no other suitable suits, ha! were there for him.  Well the only time he'd worn one recently was for his interview and we weren't hoping for any more of those for a few more years, so what does he really need at the moment?  We settled on shoes, since he's rockin some that he's had for 6+ years. 

It's about dinner time on a Friday night, few people around in Belk.  Jeremy finds two possible shoes and asks the salesman to check on his size. I'm turned around pushing Lucy and just barely note an accent when the gentleman speaks before dissappearing into the back.  I look up and He is obviously of African descent...my subconcious thought has drifted to a possible British hint in what I barely heard of his accent.  I'm immediately curious and my thoughts drift to Ug*nda.  I'm pushing Lucy around in circles and fixated on how badly I want to know where he is from.  This is silly I think.  Okay, I'm assuming he's not an African American, but won't it be strange if I just ask where he's from originally? what is the non-offensive way to ask this question? or do I ask where is your accent from?  I'm starting to feel really stupid and think, "There are 50+ countries in Africa.... just let it go, woman!" 

He returns from the back and doesn't have either shoe in hubbie's size.  I smile, circle around again to the counter, and my compulsion (the Holy Spirit) forces me to open my mouth. 

I stumble saying something like, " I heard your accent, where is it from?

He replies, Belgium and Africa.  He gives me a look like what a strange question.

I persist, "what part of Africa?" 

"East Africa" (Now, He's really looking at me, like what is this woman's deal?)

My smile is getting bigger by the second, although I have no idea where this is going.

Finally I say, "WHAT COUNTRY?"

He at last solves my burning mystery.....(are you ready?)




UG*NDA!!!!!

He sees my big old grin from ear to ear, and says, "Do you know where that is?"
I tell him that yes, that's why I was asking because we are adopting two children from Ug
*nda.
I know this will sound silly to some, crazy to others, but I literally felt my heart just filling with love.  As he speaks to me with great comfort now, I glance down at his name tag....
His name is Lazarus.  (dear friend of Jesus) (why am I even surprised)
Turns out Lazarus is from mid western Ug*nda and lived there until he was 17.  He then moved to Belgium and stayed there until coming to the US in 1994.  He wanted to know how adoptions were going in Ug*nda because he had closely followed the journey of a Belgium family trying to adopt years ago and it was treacherous.  He rejoiced with us and said He wants us to bring our children to visit him when they come home. 

I kidded with him that He really wasn't going to tell me Ug*nda....He started laughing, said most people don't know, so he just says Eastern Africa.  He said, sometimes he says Ug*nda and people ask what part of Canada is that in?  We laughed some more.  I told him in all fairness I wouldn't have known exactly where Uganda was in Africa just 2 years ago, but I do now because we just traveled there 9 months ago.  He was excited for us.  He told us he's only been back once, and that it's been many years.

Ahhhh, now I know why the compulsion was there. :) Sometimes when we least expect it, God is right there to show us in the most subtle ways just how much He loves us.  I was encouraged by a little reminder of the country I love and the daily growing LOVE and LONGING that will take me there again and again, for adoption of my two precious children and for the people of Uganda that God has placed on the heart of my family.

As I walked away, I had forgotten I was wearing my Simply Love t-shirt and my Ug*nda bead necklace.  :)

Love has Two New NAMES!!!

On Wednesday February 16th, my whole world...

changed again. 

 The love and longing in our hearts for over a year, at last had two beautiful faces and names!

This summer God led us on a journey to this beautiful place,

 a children's home in Jinja, Ug*nda.

We knew that "ONE DAY" we would adopt, but the logistics in our lives and for the home we volunteered with, it seemed it might be light years away.

So we immersed ourselves in the loving of the children and projects that were there for us, never knowing that a year later we could be returning to adopt our two children.

Over the last 7 months since we've returned my husband went on many job interviews that could have moved us to various places all over the southeast.  In the end, on December 22nd, just 3 days before Christmas, God blessed us with a new-to-us home in Coastal GA.

Three weeks later, feeling remarkably settled to have "just moved" (only God's hand and the help of my angel, AKA my mother) my husband announced that it was time to begin our homestudy. 

We had not been in recent communication with the home we visited in July, so we were overwhelmed with amazement and joy to find that they were beginning a pilot adoption program with 4 families when we reached out and made a call.   We had been praying so specifically about where God wanted us to go first in our attempt to find where OUR children were.  I had a list of many possible homes and contacts in Ug*nda, but I kept coming back to S*nrise.   After praying so desperately for God to give us confirmation about this baby & children's home as a yes or no to reach out to them, I awoke from naptime with my baby girl, with all-consuming thoughts about a day I spent in the village on our trip.  My mind flooded with a memory I had not recounted, a specific prayer I prayed over a mother of a child that had been rescued by the home. 

If I had not been compelled to call and inquire that day and reestablish communication we would have missed the pilot program of this home that we love so much.  God's timing is perfect! 

Over the next 3 weeks we were matched with 2 older children from the home.  We have a 6 year old daughter and a 3 year old son (who as God would have it, is the rescued son of the woman I prayed for in the village).  We couldn't be more elated, full of joy, there just aren't enough words to describe how we feel about being given the priviledge of being the forever parents to these two amazing miracles of God.  To answer some of the questions we have received:  We did not select our kids, we gave a wide range on our application of 0-8 years (not wanting to go older than our oldest bio child) and did not specify boy or girl.  The home has a 2 child policy, which is something Jeremy and I have felt stongly about ever since hearing the call to adopt from Ug*nda.  

We are very blessed (That is a huge understatement) to have received referrals (an official matching with children that have been investigated and proven to be adoptable) so quickly.  Many families (using an agency or independent) once their homestudy is complete wait for months to receive their referrals.  And just like here in the states the wait is longer if the adoptive families are only interested in healthy infants.  If your heart is open to older toddlers and preschoolers, there are WAITING children and the process can go faster.  The same is true if you are open to children with special needs and challenges that are medically correctible. 

It is unusual that the US side of things, our paperwork, is racing to catch up with what God is doing in Ug*nda on our behalf.  We are hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.  Truly it almost feels stupid to attempt to answer the projected timeline question because this is international adoption-it is completely out of our control-and it's not for the faint of heart...but here goes.  If God answers my prayers and our FBI prints come back in a record 4 wks, it could be Juneish. (I'm believing God! join me in praying) But if our prints take the "up to 12 wks"  they will be the longest wait time component of this process, and it'll look more like August/September.  Obviously the fact that I am homeschooling my oldest two kids, would make it super advantageous if it were to be earlier in the summer and give us more time to breathe and bond...but ultimately God's timing is perfect.  He knows every day of this process already and we are along for the bumpy ride holding Jesus' hand the whole way.

The day these prints come back....we send our Home Study and application to USCIS for US Immigration Approval, where hopefully in 6wks (current avg)  we will receive a beautiful piece of paper an I-171h.  It will say the US is approving us to adopt 2 children from the country of Ug*nda (girl & boy) and of these ages.   That key piece of paper will accompany our Home Study and any other document that our Ugandan attorney has requested in the most precious FedEX box straight to their offices in K*mpala.  When they receive it, make sure it's all in order, they will draw up the official affidavits for us to sign and then present our case to the court for us to await assignment to a judge.  When our case actually hits the schedule of a judge of the High Court, we will be notified with about 3 wks warning to travel and make our court date.  Whew!  There you go.  : )

More to come....it's all cranking up now!!!

Your comments mean the world to me....since we just moved here it's all new trying to make friends again.  Nothing like, "Hi we're the Johnsons and we are the crazies with three kids adopting two more from Africa...be our friends." ;)

I don't know where I'd be without the support of my blog friends and all the fellow Ug*nda loving sistas I know. 

Fingerprints, Papers and LOVE! oh my....

The HOME STUDY is ON!!!

(and I feel like a kid at Christmas)

I try to temper my excitement, my head knows that this is the first 20 seconds of a marathon, but I can't contain my JOY!

I just can't express what it means to be putting one foot in front of the other on the path to my children.  I was looking back through old emails, and found that yes it was September of 2009 when I first started contacting Agencies and Baby Homes in an attempt to knock on a bunch of doors and see if God was waiting to swing one of them wide open.  When you are yielding to God in a HUGE way for the first time in your life by choice, not because a life circumstance has jolted you off course demanding dependence on God . . . you do lots more questioning and second guessing of what you've heard and what you are doing.

 [when I read back over this post, i realized whoa it's about to take a totally different direction than I expected....my thoughts just poured out, so hang in there with me] 

I'm a deep thinker, I ponder alot in this little head of mine [well truthfully it's a bit large -hat size larger than hubby, with a high forehead to match, haha].  And if you are reading this, can I just say "you CAN'T ask a question I haven't asked."  How did our yielding to Christ, lead to adoption?  Well, it started with focusing on the Bible.  What did Christ say?  What did He mean?  In Matthew 6:9-34 Jesus gives us instruction on prayer, forgiveness, fasting, priorities in this life, the focus of our life (what are we investing our time in), having faith in God as our provider, and seeking first His kingdom and the peace that follows that decision.

What does it mean to live out this life in Christ?  Can't I just accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and then blend right on in with the rest of the world and go about getting an education, starting a career, getting married, and having my 2.5 kids if lucky and then staying as comfortable as possible until I die? Because really let's admit it...we have churches full of God-fearing people (I used to be one) who accepted the gift of Christ, realized that He is our salvation and are just hanging out legalistically checking some boxes of service and giving back, satisfied just to know they have the equivalence of a life insurance policy to cash in one day guaranteeing entrance to Heaven.  No matter how old or young we were are, no matter what stage of life we are in when we accept Christ as Savior, that is just the beginning of life in Christ.  That is, the abundant life God designed for us to have in Christ [John10:10].  I've learned that the life Jesus spoke of, isn't the one we wait for when one fine day our time on this earth is done and we are rewarded with a new body in a place of no more pain and suffering.  That part is true, but it's starts now.  [John 15:1-17] I've known these verses about the vine & the branches since I was a kid.  And I've heard that I must "abide" or "remain" in Christ...but I've struggled my whole life as a believer to be able to live that out with any authenticity or confidence that I was doing it right.  Oooh, there's that legalism phrase, "doing it right"...that's just it we can't do it, not in our own strength or smarts. [Trust this type A, over achiever, firstborn- been there done that] What we can do is surrender to Christ every day, yes each morning anew, letting Him know that we want to die to our own way of thinking, to die to self, to get US out of the way so He can live through us. [2 Cor.4:11] [Reading that last sentence over, it sounds like a bunch of Christianese, which Lord knows when you've heard it all your life it's hard to stay clear of] In reality for me, that meant admitting to God that I wasn't smart enough to solve my problems, didn't have enough will power to be a better wife, mom or daughter, and didn't have the strength to follow him in obedience.  The power to do any of that comes from Christ in me.  Christ in me, has the power to respond differently.  Oh man, and now does this verse take on a whole new meaning....

2 Corinthians 12:9-10     But he said to me, "My grace if sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.

  

 How do we get us and our thinking out of the way?  We spend time in God's word being transformed by the renewing of our mind [Romans 12:2].  Okay, okay so I've known the "Sunday school answer" of spending time in God's word as the method of doing this.  So why after 25 years of being "saved" am I just now thirsty enough to put some action to it??  I don't know, I was finally at the true end of me [a slow journey starting about 5-years ago] and realized there had to be more to the Christian life.  I got a glimpse of what Christ could do in me, to change me, to give me victory in areas that had beaten me up for years, when I finally gave up control and "trying".

     If we aren't actively pursuing Christ, wanting just to know God our heavenly Father more and more, we are missing it.  I was missing it.  Don't miss it. 

 [detour over, if you're still reading :)]

So when you start drawing close to God, and spending time reading His word, He begins to give you the desires of your heart.  New ones, desires that come from the center of His will if we are yielding.  So back to all my questions...Is God really the one awakening us to the orphan crisis? [James 1:27] Is this just my idea to help someone? [Matthew 25:31-40] Is this message for all of us?  What are we waiting for?  Is this really the best idea for my family?  How do you know if just giving money isn't enough?  That's somebody's part to play, right?  For believers, we know that there are many parts to the Body of Christ and we are all one of the parts that works together.  Well why can't I just be a prayer? 

 That's a part of participating in loving and caring for orphans, isn't it?  Well if praying is my assigned task, then what are the unique criteria for those who are actually supposed to ADOPT children?  Oh is that only for those who have infertility challenges?  Yea, I don't find that in my Bible.  Somehow I don't think the numbers work out on that for the 147 million + orphans in our world.

I can honestly say after a year and a half of waiting, I've never been more sure of anything.  And while there have been many tears in the wait, I can now rest in knowing that it was to grow me, to change me, to challenge me, so that I would be this sure of what God has planned for my family.   It was to get me to the place where's God's opinion is the only one I care about.  And can I just say, that THIS PLACE (where I've never been before) holds more peace than I have ever fathomed.  It is a peace and assurance that can only come from my Creator, and it isn't rattled by the day to day reminders of my imperfections.  This extended WAIT was to get me to the place where I no longer look to any other person for assurance that I'm "doing the right thing."  This is no small feat for a first born type A people person.  It has also been a season for bringing my husband and I together in strength.  After God, His opinion is the only one that matters.  The fact that all my prayers about He and I being on the same page have been answered and He is leading the charge through this adoption process is such a blessing that brings more peace regarding our adoption of two more children into our family. 

We are expecting our referrals any Day now...my heart is going to ExPLoDe!!

Crazies to the Doctor

The Johnson Crew is officially in the Home Study RACE!!! 
 Siblings we are racing to YOU both!!



Getting our medical reports completed was a FAMILY AFFAIR.

Since we just moved to this community days before Christmas, everything we do on our adoption journey seems to be pioneering.  As the doctor entered our room he said, "Oh 'THE FAMILY' is here.  Are these your kids?  And you are adopting HOW MANY?"  We smiled and answered and as the visit progressed everyone warmed up to us.  Thank the Lord we have been blessed with really good kids (at least at the doctor's office :)jk) so we gain their respect after awhile. Of course I had to go through the whole painful gamut of WHY our little two are on a delayed vaccination schedule....Ugh.  This gets old after awhile.  But it's worth it.  This office of 10,000 patients has never had any kids on delayed vacs (very surprising).  So after a little while we didn't seem to have 3 heads anymore. :)

The leader of our tribe, getting blood pressure checked and confirming (what we thought) that anything Adoption related is NOT covered under our Health plan.  Fortunately we all get one annual physical/well visit and we were due. :)



ALL smiles in the beginning waiting to see the doctor.


We were there a LONG time.  You know what happens, we were SO PAST what should have been NAPTIME and they started going crazy in that one little room.

Shortly after this shot....it was time for shots. 

 Just making our way along the "catch-up" list while we were there. 

Lucy cried after the sting.....Isaiah wailed before.

Oh this Momma's nerves...but all worth it in the end.

Everyone Welcome the Johnson Family!! :)

How is it that a little ole SUCKER makes everything better?

So thankful for SUGAR and SMILING Children once again.

We wait on TB & HIV test results and then we are notarized and out the door. 

"Van of Dreams"

So, yes, I am referencing the movie Field of Dreams.

The famous line we all remember. . . "if you build it, they will come."

Except this story is about adoption, a God dream, a new storyline in the life of the Johnson family. A new journey of faith, that God is so lovingly leading us down.

In our case the promise is this, "If you buy it, they will come!"

[This was my very FIRST post, written 12/01/2009 and never published until NOW]

God has provided an unbelievably great van at an unbelievable price in the way that's all Him. My sweet husband Jeremy, that we've always joked was destined to be a used car salesman (our life has been a revolving door of used cars at times), has been looking at diesel vans for over a year. Why? We didn't know. As the last 4 months have unfolded with God doing a new work in our marriage and in our hearts, we have an answer.

Jeremy has been looking for a van, for us, for our family that God is about to grow through the miracle of adoption. Now we had no intentions of getting the cart before the horse, literally. As the ideas of adoption & orphan ministry in general take root in your heart, you quickly become aware of every penny that passes through your hands.

[UPDATE: FEBRUARY 2011]

After driving our "Van of Dreams" around for over a year now....we lovingly refer to it as our "BIG Red Loaf of Bread"  (yes there's some southern slang for you).  There have been many days, carting my 3 kids around in our mini church van, that I have wondered what am I doing?  God did we hear you right?  Are we EVER going to be able to adopt?  Is the joke on us?  AND then there have been other days when the enemy would have me believe that the joke was on me, and that I was kidding myself with this crazy dream.  On those hard days my Beautiful Van was literally a physical promise of what God is going to do.   And then I could go another day, waiting, trusting that Yes, in His time He would fill my van with more children. 

So, now that we are begining our homestudy...I announce the start of the marathon.  As I reflect on what the past 2 weeks have meant to me, I celebrate my big obnoxious red van.  If you are reading this I ask for your prayers for our family, for the precious children that we long to hold in our arms, for those who are caring for them in Uganda, and for the surviving members of their birth families.  May God be glorified as we run the race He has set before us, each and every day until He calls us home.