tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045959360180150692024-03-21T03:54:57.525-05:00The BrantnersTheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.comBlogger209125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-58843576764698417812017-06-29T15:18:00.000-05:002017-06-29T15:27:12.682-05:00I don't know.We have been home with our precious Benjamin for one month and ten days. Forty-one days of being a family of six. Countless hours of falling in love and pouring all our affections on him.<br />
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The last few weeks have been everything we've been dreaming about for the last 3+ years. It's been hard, but so very worth it. For every tantrum, there are hundreds more hugs. For every punch thrown, there are hundreds more smiles. For every cross grunt, there are hundreds more kisses. Coming to a completely new world with complete strangers hasn't been the easiest thing for our newest little family member. And it's hard for him to process all these big changes when he can't really speak the new language, or articulate his feelings that well. What two year old really can? But he's learning that he is safe, that he is loved, and the meaning of family. And we are having the best time working for all his love and affection.<br />
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We've also spent a good little chunk of our time running from this Dr appointment to that. When Benjamin's file arrived in our inbox, we did all the appropriate "homework." We spoke with this Dr and that. We prayed. We sought wise council. And we knew, no matter what.. this precious boy, who had such a rough first couple of years of life, was OUR boy. After settling in at home for a little bit, it was time to make sure our precious one received the medical attention he needed. My mind, my heart and even my body were prepared for All. The. Appointments. Or, so I thought.<br />
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A few days shy of being home a month, Benjamin caught a little cold. Over the course of the next few days, his cold proceeded to get worse little by little. In the wee hours of Sunday morning, I awoke to Benjamin "twitching" next to me in bed. My brain was a muddled mess of sleepy haze. But somehow, I recalled that babies "twitch" when they are seizing. In the next few minutes, I had sense enough to roll Benjamin onto his side and wake Matt up. We called 911 when his seizure became more violent, and waited in agony for the paramedics to arrive. I cried a lot.. and prayed even more. I was prepared for Dr. appointments, regularly scheduled occurrences. Maybe even a minor surgery or two. But waking up in the middle of the night and having to call the paramedics? Could I handle this?<br />
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The EMT's finally arrived, and ruled Benjamin's seizure as febrile. Febrile seizures are pretty common, and not deemed as something too serious. As long as Benjamin was acting normal the rest of the day, there wasn't much to worry about. And thankfully, he played, ate and slept just like normal.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoCvsCLWghVd2nbQxHZkgz88SeYv32XOegt4jZ8SDd5i4Ab1PrTbY0gsrh4XoITAPdJnUPsv6-X6FXpdd8a6H26Z3RPtPWTltnTOBc6lD1ub8ph6jPyOKZHpS5SbeKKJqBnsQ71gTtxe1/s1600/IMG_8252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoCvsCLWghVd2nbQxHZkgz88SeYv32XOegt4jZ8SDd5i4Ab1PrTbY0gsrh4XoITAPdJnUPsv6-X6FXpdd8a6H26Z3RPtPWTltnTOBc6lD1ub8ph6jPyOKZHpS5SbeKKJqBnsQ71gTtxe1/s200/IMG_8252.JPG" width="200" /></a>Because his fever didn't go away the next day, we took him in to the Urgent Care Clinic just to get things checked out. Benjamin had bronchitis. Just to make sure no secondary issues popped up, the Dr prescribed some meds for him to take. And he took those meds for a week like a little champ!<br />
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After a week, his cough wasn't really improving though. We had a few sleepless nights where the cough was just incessant and unrelenting. A few nights went by with him coughing to the point of gagging. So, to our (NEW) Primary Care Physician we went.<br />
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And do you know what they ask you when your child is sick? They ask you for history. They ask you for his history and any family medical history. Going into an international adoption, you KNOW you're not getting history on your precious new one, much less their biological family.<br />
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"Ma'am, has your son had a history of febrile seizures?"<br />
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"Yes, he's had one that we know of. He was hospitalized for pneumonia last year and had one in the hospital.".... <i>But is that all he's had? Did our beloved son have any in the orphanage? Who would know if a little boy twitched and seized away in the middle of a crowded room with 17 other little boys? Do I really know how many he's had? I don't know....</i><br />
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A common phrase in our house lately is "I wish Benjamin could have come home sooner." And while we have all felt that way for the last 3 years, we are especially reminded of it these past two weeks.<br />
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I wish Benjamin could have come home sooner to get all the snuggles he deserved through every runny nose.<br />
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I wish Benjamin could have come home sooner so he wouldn't have to learn to seek affection after he's been hurt.<br />
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I wish Benjamin could have come home sooner... so we could have been there through every hurt, through every illness, through every "everything".<br />
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But. We do have our Benjamin now. He is ours. He is a Brantner for as long as the Lord allows. And we are so grateful. We are grateful to wipe his tears away. We are grateful to be the ones to drive him to All. The. Appointments. We are grateful to be the ones to cut his food up into bite-size pieces. We are grateful to be his.. to pour ourselves out for him, over and over again.<br />
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<br />TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-79038633283256713802017-05-14T08:11:00.000-05:002017-05-14T08:11:35.625-05:00Bonding is hardI've mentioned a time or two that we completed, roughly, 18million hours of training before our trip to China. There wasn't a week that went by in the last 12 months that we weren't sitting in front of a computer or reading some book about what this process would look like. We also talked a lot with other adoptive families and read blogs.<br />
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We hoped for the best, but prepared for the worst. I knew that our boy would probably not know how to receive affection, wouldn't want to be rocked to sleep, and probably wouldn't even know how to play with toys.<br />
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But even knowing all those things, it hasn't exactly made the last five days easy.<br />
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Benjamin laughs often, smiles quite a bit, and loves to show off in a crowd. But he also enjoys hitting, grunting, shying away from most forms of affection, and being a stinker in general.<br />
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He loves his Daddy, and hates for him to be out of his sight. And he sometimes likes his Mommy just okay enough.<br />
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For the first two and a half years of his life, our boy only knew women to be strict and harsh. While we don't know exactly how the nannies in the orphanage treated him, we can hypothesize that they most likely did not rock him to sleep, cuddle him, or praise him very often. Evidence of this is shown by the way he self soothes when tired, rejecting any form of nurturing. Based on the fact that he only weighs 19lbs, we can also assume that he was not fed like a two year old should be.<br />
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It takes time to undo the trauma that has been inflicted, whether intentionally or unintentionally, on our boy.<br />
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It will take time for him not to hoard food in his mouth for hours after a meal time, because he's afraid he might not feel full again.<br />
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It will take time for him to recognize that a woman is not just for reprimanding, but is good for snuggling, rocking him to sleep, playing and even kissing his boo-boo's.<br />
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It will take time for him to accept the soft, reassuring touch while he is trying to close his eyes to sleep.<br />
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It will take time for his little body to recognize its deep need for liquids and to take drinks often.<br />
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And it will take time for us to win his unwavering trust and love.<br />
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<br />TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-50433808496543473332017-05-13T01:38:00.001-05:002017-05-13T01:38:41.477-05:00Medical Appointment<br />
While in China, there are a few really important things that happen in between all the eating, sightseeing, shopping and eating. (Yes. Eating belongs there twice. In China, we eat all the food.. and its all delicious.)<div>
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Typically, you arrive in China, adjust to the timezone for a few days, meet and receive your child. Then, you sign all the documents saying you will love him forever and ever and ever and ever, and that he will be yours for that long. A few days later, you receive your child's passport. And then you're off to Guangzhou for more important stuff. </div>
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The first thing on the agenda is your child's medical appointment. Because being handed off to two strangers and adjusting to them being your primary caregivers, being on a different routine, and traveling halfway across your birth country isn't traumatic enough, we'll throw in a mini-marathon doctor visit on top of all that!</div>
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Our adoption agency has arranged for some pretty great guides to... well... guide us each step of the way. And we are so grateful! </div>
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We enjoyed an amazing breakfast at our hotel's buffet dining room this morning. Not only was the food great, but the company was even better! Our agency arranged for several families to travel together in a group. We spent a few days together in Beijing, departed for different provinces and now, we're all back together! It has been such a wonderful blessing to have the camaraderie with them! And on top of that, our hotel is like adoption central. There are so many families staying here that are bringing their precious China babes home. It's been fun to see lots of other families in the same shoes as us.</div>
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After breakfast, we met our guide downstairs to make the trek to the medical office. Our first stop was to get an official picture of Benjamin taken for his file. Next, he had to be weighed. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You could say he strongly disliked being weighed. How dare Daddy put him down!</td></tr>
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We were shoo'ed into a room for a general "once over" where a Doctor asked questions much like a pediatrician in the United States would. The Doctor also checked his heart and lungs out, and prodded here and there. We've been praying that his appointment would go well today.. and specifically for his heart. Benjamin received heart surgery to correct a heart murmur and valve when he was almost a year old. The reports we received showed the heart surgery was a success, but I was still slightly anxious whether the reports were accurate or not. And Praise God, there was no detectable heart murmur when the Doctor checked him out today! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As long as Daddy is holding him, everything is okay. (Most of the time.)</td></tr>
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Next, an ENT checked Benjamin's ears, nose and throat out. While not fond of the Dr's headlamp, our little champ did pretty good.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LrNqL61zv8boVx5iLMZuudAt1TLI0x3oPWQuWRKZHN3AbgcJ88eNBYovzTAfm_STjxyrUdxV2dIihRR2Z4AJWBPHxFsKrwO-KZdVtAsR8ZsFnya1cUfLKU2YWQE_s5ER71HNlwG5x2NM/s1600/IMG_7304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LrNqL61zv8boVx5iLMZuudAt1TLI0x3oPWQuWRKZHN3AbgcJ88eNBYovzTAfm_STjxyrUdxV2dIihRR2Z4AJWBPHxFsKrwO-KZdVtAsR8ZsFnya1cUfLKU2YWQE_s5ER71HNlwG5x2NM/s400/IMG_7304.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting on the ENT to work his magic. </td></tr>
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Then, Benjamin was taken into a room to do a blood-draw. It was the first time he'd been out of our sight or our hands since he's been in our care. And we weren't allowed to go in the room with him. It was heartbreaking to hear him crying on the other side of the door, but it was over in about a minute. He came out grateful to have hugs from Daddy.. and a few snacks from Mommy. </div>
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All in all, our medical appointment went pretty great for Benjamin. Like any kid in his situation, he got a little frightened and didn't really want a few doctors messing with him. But he calmed down easily when Daddy would hold him or reassure him. (He's still learning that Mom loves him too. Its quite hard for him to adjust to two people doting on him nonstop.)</div>
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Now, we wait for our appointment at the Consulate for Benjamin's visa. And then, we wait for that to be processed and ready. </div>
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And while we wait, we'll soak up all the time with our great new friends and fellow adoptive parents. </div>
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After the medical appointment, we went to Walmart... no really, it was a real Walmart. We made sure to stock up on all the essentials, like Lays potato chips, coke, snickers, and water. Oh.. and diapers, wipes, and a few healthier snacks for our little peanut.</div>
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We opted NOT to get a live fish out of the tanks though. (Talk about fresh seafood!)</div>
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Nor did we get a live turtle or frog for consumption. </div>
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Oh, China.</div>
TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-40435372057083959752017-05-08T10:06:00.003-05:002017-05-08T10:06:58.603-05:00Gotcha Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There were approximately 5million hours of training for the adoption process. (Insert slight sarcasm font there.) In addition to the hours and hours of training, we took it upon ourselves to read lots of blogs and talk to lots of friends about their adoption processes. And as the time to travel came near, we prepped ourselves big time for what Gotcha Day might look like. Would our boy kick, scream, hit? Would he want anything to do with us at all? Would he be reserved and subdued? Would he even show the slightest interest in toys.. or us?<div>
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We prepared for the worst and hoped for the best. We prayed a lot. We asked other people to pray. We knew, that for our boy, it would mean a day of tremendous loss. He'd be losing everyone and everything he'd ever known. He'd be confused, in a new place and with people he'd never even seen before. </div>
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May 8th started much like every other day of our trip in China. We woke pretty early, had a delightful breakfast, lounged for just a bit, and then ventured out into the city. My emotions were all over the place, and I literally had All The Feels. Staying in a hotel room, waiting for our son, would not make The Feels any better. </div>
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Our first stop was Zoo Coffee right across the street from our hotel. Um. Wow. China knows how to do atmosphere. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">We opted for lattes and were surprised with latte art!</span></td></tr>
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To kill more time, we meandered down the road a ways to the local mall. We took our time browsing the many floors and especially loved the Children's floor! (Each floor of the mall caters to a specific style. First floor is makeup and perfumes. Second floor is women's clothing. Etc.) </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every store should have a HUGE Bumblebee, right?</td></tr>
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FINALLY, it was time to eat some lunch and make our way back to the hotel. Nervously, I tried straightening everything and making it just so. Usually, adoptive families meet the Orphanage Director, the child's nanny and their (long awaited and prayed for) child in a banquet room at the hotel. However, we're the only family adopting from Gansu province this trip. So all the people and our boy were coming up to our hotel room. I wanted our room to look inviting, but also orderly. </div>
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When everything had been placed in its place for the third time, I finally decided to sit down, calm down a little and pray. After about 20 minutes, I realized that if I looked out the window, I would probably be able to see our boy arrive at the hotel. Peering over the windowsill, I spotted a car pull over. A woman emerged from the car, another woman, and yet another woman. Finally, I saw the tiniest little bundle emerge from the car. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOZrKfFJpjhPSE0z4Jt3e7eIlQp4u9ttdop6qoDma1byZ7QjLaPeYDQkpHGtmzhv10CxZS7agyrJvDMgq_1cicu66o0oM3GRlHfAQUw7HFwc1RykX0tQjenaE2fxZEDPg7SyXlLQ37Zcd/s1600/IMG_7054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOZrKfFJpjhPSE0z4Jt3e7eIlQp4u9ttdop6qoDma1byZ7QjLaPeYDQkpHGtmzhv10CxZS7agyrJvDMgq_1cicu66o0oM3GRlHfAQUw7HFwc1RykX0tQjenaE2fxZEDPg7SyXlLQ37Zcd/s320/IMG_7054.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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If All The Feels hadn't been going crazy enough, it's like they were kicked into hyperdrive. The day we've prayed for and dreamt about for the last 3 years was finally here. I saw my precious tiny boy in the flesh, 100+ feet down- but still-, for the very first time. Any moment, he would be within arms reach. I knew everything he was going through was frightening enough. So, I tried my best to keep my emotions in check. A frightened and confused toddler would probably not be comforted much by a strange woman doing the ugliest of ugly cries. </div>
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In the blink of an eye, there was a knock at the hotel door. I opened it, and had to peer out to get a glimpse of our precious Benjamin. He stood between his nanny and the orphanage director.. so tiny.. so wonderful.. so much more than we could have ever prayed for. </div>
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He reacted about as well as you would think a shy little boy might. I approached him slowly, cautiously with my arms outstretched. He was quick to back away from my embrace. With the encouragement of the onlookers, I quickly embraced him and picked him up. The fists starting flying in perfect synchronization of the flailing feet. To round out the "Total Toddler Meltdown" experience, his back bent backwards away from me and his little voice let out a nice sized wail. I spoke in soft, reassuring tones while the nanny (I'm assuming) gave the same sentiments in his native language. To my surprise, he calmed down quite quickly and seemed to be not as mad about the strange American woman holding him. We introduced him to all his new toys and delighted in the fact that he wanted to play with them. </div>
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Soon, it was time for all the people that were familiar to Benjamin to leave. He was none too thrilled about this, and let us know he was sad to see them go. After a few minutes of hugs, he was ready to play again. We were astonished to see the ends of his sweet little mouth curve into a reserved smile after some teasing and playing. And not long after that, he let out a few shy chuckles. We relished in the way this precious boy played and seemed to be comfortable in this new, strange place. </div>
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Benjamin's paperwork describes him as a shy little boy who likes to be quiet. Um. Maybe for the first 10 minutes you meet him.. or in a big crowd. </div>
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But the Benjamin that has wreaked havoc on our hearts is boisterous, funny, enjoys being loud, has personality enough for 10 toddlers and is anything but reserved. My limited vocabulary isn't expansive enough to begin to describe the numerous ways for which we are grateful for not only this day, but how well our boy has done today. He did kick and scream. He wanted nothing to do with us. But then, he quickly adjusted and liked the idea of having every ounce of attention he desired. He was eager to "perform" for us, to make us laugh by doing silly things, and to "ask" for things from us. (He doesn't quite talk much, but Benjamin is well versed in the communication ways of toddlers world wide. He does a fabulous job of letting you know exactly what he wants.) This brilliant boy proved to be anything but subdued. And the whole "no interest" in us thing? Well, this sweet boy is already taking quite a liking to his new Mommy and Daddy. (More so Daddy. But hey, this relationship is still young! He'll be saying "I love you Mommy" in no time! Hah!)</div>
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And now, the most beautiful black haired baby with the most beautiful set of almond shaped eyes is snoring sweetly beside me. And now, without fear of traumatizing this precious boy of mine any further, the tears are flowing. Tears of gratitude that he is, in fact, ours. Tears of gratitude for the smiles we saw, the deep belly laughs we heard, and for the words "Mama" I heard come out of that perfect little mouth. Tears of gratitude for all the "firsts" we got to experience today: his first book, his first meal with us, his first bottle, the first time I rocked him to sleep. My heart grieves for the many "firsts" we did not get to experience with him.. but I am rejoicing for the many "firsts" we will get to have. </div>
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<br />Tomorrow, we sign all the official forms proclaiming that our boy will be Benjamin James Brantner for as long as the Lord allows. After a few days, his passport will be ready and then we fly to Guangzhou. There, we'll do more paperwork, have a medical appointment and fly home to live as Brantner Party of 6. We're praying that Benjamin falls more and more in love with us, that he will begin to understand deeply the true meaning of the words Mommy and Daddy, and that he stays well. (Lots of adopted kiddo's are prone to sickness during the process. This is quite a lot on their little bodies. Many have never travelled outside of their province or experienced so much.)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLyWz2cWrNwR12V0s8RJnYWQ6ixwh3joxO7wtyBjbiqWwSjUPWF2EJl0jkhSkjP5fnl3knsMKjJpiAhvPlEVZkVPthp5GeS3ETHnATDQGQDBgRA3MgN1YYchnlsc9HMN0UGvWSI50XocPZ/s1600/IMG_7058+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLyWz2cWrNwR12V0s8RJnYWQ6ixwh3joxO7wtyBjbiqWwSjUPWF2EJl0jkhSkjP5fnl3knsMKjJpiAhvPlEVZkVPthp5GeS3ETHnATDQGQDBgRA3MgN1YYchnlsc9HMN0UGvWSI50XocPZ/s640/IMG_7058+3.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the Orphanage Director left, our guide took us to a photographer to have our first family photo made. It went as well as you could expect. Being the only Americans in Lanzhou with a Chinese Baby means we are gawked at just about every time we step foot out of our hotel. Benjamin was uber confused, but didn't cry. So, I guess we succeeded at our first formal picture experience with him.<br /><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7oF-A82NCN4dRwprZeCubnCPAIaEQx1YtyXl6rj5hKRSDYSx-QlZ2f95CqKonKahFQ1jkR-TGYCfaiyrWdAjLVqyl6yJGA09SxeZTNaeC-_sZXApEAgLfhf3w9YPs1xlQne_qbQGw_yt/s1600/IMG_7071+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7oF-A82NCN4dRwprZeCubnCPAIaEQx1YtyXl6rj5hKRSDYSx-QlZ2f95CqKonKahFQ1jkR-TGYCfaiyrWdAjLVqyl6yJGA09SxeZTNaeC-_sZXApEAgLfhf3w9YPs1xlQne_qbQGw_yt/s640/IMG_7071+2.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We let Benjamin recover from the first outing for a while. We played, read books, and basically did whatever he wanted to do to make him feel comfortable. If he threw a toy, we laughed like idiots. If he dropped a book, we exclaimed "uh-oh" with gusto. If he did something totally adorable, we clapped fervently and gave a hearty "yay." But dinner time drew near, so we prepped him for the "cold" and threw a hat on his head. The Chinese believe your child must be layered in 5million layers if the weather is at all below 100 degrees. Benjamin came to us with two pairs of pants, a t-shirt and two jackets on. I'm sweating just thinking about it. While we opted to go with only one pair of pants, a t-shirt and light jacket for dinner, we thought it best to cover his head lest we be shamed by some well-meaning Chinese Grandma on the street.<br /><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66mqTe0bnMrOlIGV34SRuHk4oScENTm5vbrFSKx6mx3DWGePybpu_lJtKCO_5WXFqz2LX-oybER1S6VMTgPIl_IrPjARgKqWFEp77XIRZ-gIYZeU9tA5gv31OslfZWlwWWxjN6sUfwt1D/s1600/IMG_7072+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66mqTe0bnMrOlIGV34SRuHk4oScENTm5vbrFSKx6mx3DWGePybpu_lJtKCO_5WXFqz2LX-oybER1S6VMTgPIl_IrPjARgKqWFEp77XIRZ-gIYZeU9tA5gv31OslfZWlwWWxjN6sUfwt1D/s640/IMG_7072+4.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first few minutes were mere tolerance of his new accessory. But, he grew to be quite fond of it. He'd pat his head every few minutes just to make sure it was still there.. which is probably best, since he has about 10 more hats waiting for him at home!<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr6toLITTPTwWlAuld5zil5V7QUUskkHIMpk69k8ZKHOLBPBgZZ1aNQgD_cOhGZ7t7vYGnRSwwDOugLSeZEktyvl_XtRYEEw8k3Xe6I8earINP_wujkUyHVmOEtdJsuvHfHBJwr0fnxp6F/s1600/FullSizeRender+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr6toLITTPTwWlAuld5zil5V7QUUskkHIMpk69k8ZKHOLBPBgZZ1aNQgD_cOhGZ7t7vYGnRSwwDOugLSeZEktyvl_XtRYEEw8k3Xe6I8earINP_wujkUyHVmOEtdJsuvHfHBJwr0fnxp6F/s640/FullSizeRender+4.jpg" width="518" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">After a long day, it just felt good to be snuggled up with my precious boy. Benjamin is every bit of 2 years old, and doesn't enjoy sitting still longer than a few minutes. So, you better believe I soaked up all the cuddles I could while he enjoyed his bedtime bottle.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLgPl1V8vbVZIOviqGkX8EyC5Mw_3zKrcJ0ieNj6MkOPwCKBZTCibTrDfn67bsaTytfrpS-zJ1Wc9ZePidrOXMa5mmhHKIdVnvPlFXBhNGeXExCUTQyOdsM3lDQLrOl8xpaX0ntz9kSYF/s1600/IMG_7075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLgPl1V8vbVZIOviqGkX8EyC5Mw_3zKrcJ0ieNj6MkOPwCKBZTCibTrDfn67bsaTytfrpS-zJ1Wc9ZePidrOXMa5mmhHKIdVnvPlFXBhNGeXExCUTQyOdsM3lDQLrOl8xpaX0ntz9kSYF/s640/IMG_7075.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This picture. (And the 5million others we took today.) So many things. First, the look Benjamin is giving his new Daddy.. the eye contact.. the way he will grab a book, sit you down and then plop himself in your lap now? The way he curls so perfectly and fits just like he has belonged in your lap for years and not hours? It's a picture of God's grace.. of His goodness... of His faithfulness... of His provision. </td></tr>
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TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-21864338178519767822017-05-05T04:41:00.001-05:002017-05-05T04:41:13.573-05:00China, you're beautifulThe weeks and days leading up to our impending travel left us excited, anxious, and an array of other emotions. With all the nervous energy, our sleep dwindled each night preceding our departure. We tried our best to get some sleep on our long flight here, but didn't have much luck.<br />
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Last night, we fell asleep quickly and soundly. But woke up bright eyed and bushy-tailed at 5:30 a.m. after a mere 7 hours of sleep! I guess when your body is used to working on 4-5 hours of sleep, 7 seems like a lot. Being worn out and sleep deprived has probably helped us quite a bit with jet lag.<br />
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This morning we meandered downstairs to enjoy breakfast in the hotel's dining room.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_KMVL3DtcYX8zlOmfH0IHD5XfhFIqE9QrKv5s_QDVTMM65RP2_frFNkZyA2QNd56hLdJyG2CDJSyknMDzGhdAq3VNi-FXMJ2SxrpaxK0ISUGk7sqkAgeCjdvcJra896m4mHoZut5HWzZ/s1600/IMG_6794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_KMVL3DtcYX8zlOmfH0IHD5XfhFIqE9QrKv5s_QDVTMM65RP2_frFNkZyA2QNd56hLdJyG2CDJSyknMDzGhdAq3VNi-FXMJ2SxrpaxK0ISUGk7sqkAgeCjdvcJra896m4mHoZut5HWzZ/s200/IMG_6794.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
I decided to stick with the more traditional options for breakfast. A few pastries, fruit, and coffeeCoffeeCOFFEE! Surprisingly, the coffee is DELICIOUS in China and easy to find!<br />
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After breakfast, we met up with our new compadres and fellow adoptive families. One thing I love about our agency is that they orchestrate adoption trips so that many families travel together in a group. There are 2 other families here in Beijing with us. Because of different arrival times, we didn't have a chance to connect yesterday. Today was a sweet time of getting to know each other and seeing the beauty of Beijing.<br />
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We climbed quite a ways. The stairs are mostly varying heights, and narrow in some spots. I started the trek up, and made the mistake of turning around. In my mind, all I could see was myself tumbling down the stone steps. Carefully gripping the railing, I made my way back down very slowly. Matt continued on though with a few others from our group. We both came to the conclusion we are way out of shape and will be feeling the aftermath of lots of flights of stairs in the morning.<br />
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To fuel up for the next stop, we ate at a beautiful Chinese restaurant. Our food was served family style with a wide variety of dishes. It was all so very delicious!<br />
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We spent the next several hours touring the Beijing Olympic Park. Beijing hosted the Olympics in 2008 and is set to host them again in 2022. For now, tourists have the opportunity to explore the grounds for a nominal price. I'm so glad we did. It's not likely we'll ever be in the general vicinity of a park, much less make it to the Olympics as spectators. It was pretty great walking through the Bird's Nest knowing so many amazing athletes had competed there a few years ago.<br />
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Tomorrow holds more adventures, bonding time with our new friends, and fun distractions from the anxious energy we're all feeling leading up to meeting our sweet China babies for the first time on Monday.<br />
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<br />TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-2600900134838700652017-05-03T20:52:00.001-05:002017-05-03T20:52:30.726-05:00Here We Goooooo!!The last several weeks have been filled to the brim with lots of hustle and bustle. After we received our official Letter of Approval from China, we had lots of other paperwork and minor steps to complete before we could travel to bring our precious Benjamin home. Each step is somehow agonizingly slow but also very fast.<br />
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An eternity later, all those small steps were completed, and we were FINALLY given Travel Approval to travel to China. (And by eternity, I really mean a measly 8 weeks. In the adoption world, that's a pretty great timeframe for receiving Travel Approval.) </div>
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In the midst of all that, we squeezed in much time as possible with our 3 little blondies., 2 HUGE adoption fundraisers, life-events and general mayhem. Then, we started packing.. and re-packing. Printing this checklist and that. Prepping all those 5million important documents to travel halfway 'round the world with you. </div>
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Before we knew it, it was 10:30p.m. on May 2nd and one of our dear friends was at our home to take us to the airport. I can't say enough about the village of people that have come alongside us, served us, and encouraged us in the last 3+ years of our adoption process. We are humbled and grateful for the countless ways people have shown so much love to us!</div>
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Upon arriving at the airport, we made our way to the check-in counter. The marvelous thing about flying in the middle of the night is the airport is nearly a ghost-town. So, everything moves much quicker! Nearly no-line at check-in and security took less than 15 minutes! But in true Brantner adoption process fashion, we had a slight snag at the check-in counter. We don't know exactly what happened when the agent scanned Matt's passport, but within a matter of seconds he was off speaking to a supervisor about it. For a split second, I worried I might have to make the trek to and from China by myself. A few minutes later, the agent reappeared, slapped the tags on our suitcase and sent us on our way. Phew!</div>
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We breathed a sigh of relief and made our way to the gate. Every which way we looked were beautiful dark haired people with beautiful almond-shaped eyes. And so many precious babies! I made it my personal mission to be the weird lady that stared at all said babies with a huge grin slapped on my face. The anticipation and reality of being so close to getting our Benjamin was palpable. </div>
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Aside from being squished in a tiny space for 15 hours, our flight was pretty great! The flight attendants were so attentive, our co-passengers rocked, and I caught up on a few movies that I've been wanting to see. </div>
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A little sore and tired from being confined for almost a day, we made our way through the Beijing airport. Excitement built as we waited patiently for our luggage to come through the carousel. We were able to rescue one piece from the round-a-bout. But the second suitcase never appeared. We spoke with the airline representatives and we're praying to have the suitcase delivered before we leave for Benjamin's province. </div>
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We're excited to spend a few days in Beijing soaking in the culture, learning some of the country's rich history and hopefully, recovering from jet lag. On Sunday, we fly to Benjamin's province where we'll get him (on Monday), have a court appointment and receive his passport! </div>
TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-77898791630179212702017-02-12T22:42:00.000-06:002017-02-12T22:46:11.208-06:00Settle in for a story...Some few years ago the Lord burdened our hearts for orphans. We knew that one day we would love to expand our family through adoption. We didn't know for sure what that would look like, or when exactly that would come to fruition. We prayed a lot about it.<br />
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At one point we thought our adoption story would start by fostering children in our area. But as we wrapped up the final classes to become licensed, it became clear to us that was not the path for our family at that point in time.<br />
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Shortly thereafter, we started the international adoption process. In late March of 2014, we sent a check for a large sum of money to an international adoption agency. There were a few hiccups in those early months of the adoption process. At one point, I recall saying something along the lines that we won the prize for taking the LONGEST amount of time to have a homestudy completed.<br />
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FINALLY in December of 2014, our homestudy was finalized. We were hopeful that the pace of our adoption process might pick up a little bit. Most of 2015 was spent on the "paper chase". The paper chase is a friendly way of saying you are rounding up the 500million documents needed for your dossier.<br />
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The paper chase ended as we sent our 500million documents to our agency, ready to adopt from Haiti. But as our documents were arriving at our agency, they were receiving some troubling news from Haiti. The adoption process is never speedy, and there are almost always some unexpected's along the way. We were well advised to not get too discouraged if troubling news came. The news we did receive still shocked us a bit. Instead of the process taking 2-3 years, the process would most likely take anywhere from 4 to 6 years to complete. Haiti was at a near stand still for processing international adoptions.<br />
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I remember feeling defeated when we received the news. I remember praying.. asking for clarity, even asking the Lord "Did I hear you right? Is this really what you want us to do?" Honestly, we just weren't sure if we were ready to be in a season of limbo for another 5+ years. We communicated quite a bit with our agency about what all of it meant and what our choices were.<br />
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In November of 2015, we made the decision to switch countries. I wondered why the Lord didn't just have us start with China to begin with? Why... why would we be in the adoption process for over a year and a half just to completely change our course to the opposite side of the earth?<br />
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Several months passed before we began the laborious process of chasing papers. I spent the hot summer months of 2016, specifically July, gathering 500 million more documents. In a sense, it's almost easier since I'd already done it once. I knew what to expect, I knew where to go, and I knew just what was needed. Gathering documents for China was a breeze.<br />
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From there, most of you know that all those 500 million documents travelled to China in December of 2016.<br />
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But let's rewind for just a minute.<br />
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In March of 2014, as a young family from Texas began the international adoption process, the Lord was weaving together a beautiful creation on the other side of the world. In a northern province of China, He started knitting together a precious boy in a mother's womb.<br />
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In December of 2014, as that family was moving forward in the adoption process, that precious boy in China took his first breath of life.<br />
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That family received disheartening adoption news in 2015 that rocked their world. And that little boy was fighting for his life. His sweet little heart, although beautifully and fearfully made by a loving Creator, didn't tick just the right way when he was born.<br />
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In November of 2015, as that family changed gears in their adoption process, that little fighter was receiving heart surgery to make sure his heart would tick in all the right ways.<br />
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In July of 2016, as that family started the paper chase yet again, that little peanut spent a bit of time in the hospital for pneumonia.<br />
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In January of 2017, that family's world collided with his in the most beautiful way. And all those questions of why.. all the frustration of timing... all the wondering if we REALLY heard the Lord correctly in this whole adoption thing... They were all laid to rest when we saw our sweet boy's picture for the first time.<br />
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There have been countless times that I've said "Only God" throughout this process. A lot of those times I've even blogged about them. Truly, only God could have orchestrated this. Truly, only God could have woven our stories together like this. Truly, only God.. in His Goodness.. in His timing could have known what would happen, when it would happen and why. And sometimes, He's so good to let us see the answers.<br />
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Please allow me the pleasure of introducing you to our beautiful boy.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Benjamin James</b></span></div>
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Benjamin, after Matt's grandmother, Bennie. A wonderful matriarch who loves fiercely, prays often, and fears the Lord. Benjamin, the son of the right hand, favored, loved. May our Benjamin know how loved he is for now and always. James, after my grandfather. A man that kept us laughing and made us all feel secure and safe until his last breath. A man that loved deeply and was generous in showing his adoration of his family. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. May our James know the loving kindness of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; and may he serve Him.<br />
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We long for the day we get to see this precious face in person. For now, we're busy filling out immigration forms. We're anxious for all those government agencies to process all those forms and let us know when we can hug our boy! (Based on trends and current statistics, it looks like we'll be heading to China in late April to get our boy.)<br />
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TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-44840045876720421562017-01-26T21:36:00.000-06:002017-01-26T21:36:00.148-06:00In Case You Were Wondering2 and a half years of emails. 2 and a half years of driving here and there gathering documents. 2 and a half years of phone calls made. Countless hours of preparation. Unexpected twists and turns. <div>
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And then, 7 days of sleepless nights. Tears that pour out at the most random times. Grief. Longing. Hope. Lots of thinking of all different kinds of thoughts. Lots of talking with lots of people. Prayers. Many prayers prayed by myself (and Matt), and others on our behalf. Scripture being read.. and more scripture being poured over.</div>
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Finally, a sound night's sleep. Deep, deep sleep for the first time in what seems like a very long time. And a dream happens. It's such a really good dream. I wake up refreshed, but somehow confused. </div>
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At that point, all the noise just has to stop. It's time to take a deep breath.. be still.. pray some more.. read more scripture. Unexpected phone calls come in, more talking and words are thrown around. Peace abounds. But still, it feels like there's just one last question mark that needs to be resolved. </div>
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But Chinese New Year is coming up, and quickly. With a 14 hour time delay and a massive National Holiday looming, it seems unlikely that the big question mark will go away. Much to our surprise, some communication happens.. and the question mark vanishes as if it never existed. </div>
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While his file seemed daunting at first, we spent lots of time dissecting it. Each phone call made, each email received only provided more and more answers. Lots of medical jargon and prognosis were thrown out. What would have seemed scary to us years before, didn't sound troubling at all. We felt peace. We asked lots of questions to some really wise people. We prayed a lot. We asked our agency about things and stuff. More answers were given. </div>
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On Tuesday, January 24th, it was confirmed in our hearts what I had felt from the morning hours of January 12th. This little boy is ours to pursue. </div>
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For us, we found that sweet spot between leap of faith and being prepared. We learned all we possibly could. We found the right questions to ask, and were given answers. We took the leap of faith. </div>
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On January 25th, we sent China a formal letter stating our desire to make this boy a Brantner forever. </div>
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There's no telling when we might receive a response. The entire country shuts down for about 8 days for Chinese New Year. </div>
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We've never heard of a family not receiving a Letter of Approval. And we're really praying we aren't the first. :)</div>
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TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-83716601841285857242017-01-21T15:37:00.003-06:002017-01-26T21:36:16.936-06:00Thursday. January 12, 2017. <b><u>Thursday. January 12, 2017. </u></b><br />
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A great day for so many reasons. I spent the majority of the day loving on the sweetest, cutest and all-around-most precious little toddlers. </div>
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Sometime that afternoon, my phone buzzed with an incoming email. While the sweet cherub babies rested, I sent a flurry of text messages and emails. </div>
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Our agency had the file of a toddler who didn't quite fit in the niche of the waiting families of the China program. To advocate on his behalf, they sent a brief summary and a picture of him to all the waiting families. This was not the first time we've received emails like this. But, it was the first time my heart skipped a beat. It was the first time that a picture tugged at me. </div>
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Matt and I communicated with a pediatric neurologist to help break down the meaning of some of the medical terms in his summary. We contacted our social worker to request permission to look at the file. Lastly, we contacted our family coordinator to actually email us the complete file. </div>
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<b><u>Friday. January 13, 2017.</u></b></div>
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Our coordinator emailed me back. Her response didn't surprise me necessarily. The adoption agency had received a few responses quite like ours to view this sweet boy's entire file. Another family further along in the process were given access to it first. </div>
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But something in me just wouldn't quit. So, I did what I do. I prayed. I realized, even in the midst of my angst to hurry up and get the file, that this other family was in the midst of making a HUGE decision. I prayed for peace for them.. for discernment.. and for joy no matter what. The weight of a child's future is (somewhat) in your hands at this point. Is he yours? Is he the one the Lord has set aside for your family? Or does the Lord have someone else for you? Even knowing that God is sovereign.. and Good.. and Holy.. and definitely knows... doesn't necessarily always negate the sting of having to say "no" to a precious little boy waiting for a family. </div>
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I didn't have to pray for that other family for long. Mere hours passed before my phone buzzed again with more incoming emails. In that group of emails was the complete file for one of the most precious little boys I've ever seen. Text messages and emails started flying... letting our families know the latest in our adoption journey.. our closest friends.. and sending the file onto the neurologist. Lots of tears flowed as I read through his complete file. </div>
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The next few days were spent a lot like Friday. Lots of communicating with lots of people. </div>
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I talked a lot with lots of other adoptive moms. So many people have been so gracious to answer our questions.. to share their own experiences with us. We're so grateful for their wisdom, honesty and complete openness. </div>
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One such lovely person... whom I just happened to meet by sort of a chance encounter.. is adopting a 3rd child from China. And wouldn't you know that she and her husband are using the same agency that we're using? Oh, and they just so happen to be open to adopting a little boy around the same age range that we'll be adopting!!</div>
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This friend and I texted quite a bit. She asked which orphanage Little Boy is at. And.. he's at the VERY SAME orphanage one of her precious girls was at! She provided a wealth of information about what life is like for many of the children residing in this particular institution. </div>
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It's been 8 days since we received ALLLLLLL the information possible on this impossibly tiny little boy. I've scoured the internet for every possible photo of him. I've wept over the things he's had to endure.. wept over the absence of a Mommy and Daddy in his life. I've praised God for truly sustaining him for the last 2 years and 1 month of his life. I've spent countless hours researching his medical needs, possible prognosis and treatment plans. I've spent many minutes staring at his pictures. I've spent countless hours communicating with medical professionals about what his life has been like and what it could possibly be like based on the medical notes in his file. I've memorized every word about what he was wearing when he was abandoned at the orphanage, what his personality is like, and which major milestones he has accomplished. </div>
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This adoption process has been a lot of things. There have been many tear jerking moments for us. There's been some angst, some grief, and lots of hope at times. </div>
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But no amount of emotion over the last 2.5 years could compare to what we've felt in the last 8 days for this handsome little boy. </div>
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Adoption is a leap of faith.. but also needing to be prepared to love your child well. A 16+ page document can in no way fully prepare you to love and care for your child, but it can offer some insight as to what your course of action should be. </div>
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Right now, we're in the limbo of leap of faith and being prepared. Are his medical needs just too much for us? (And if they are, may we not feel the sting of guilt by saying "no" to him so another family can have their "yes" with him.) Once he is home and loved, will he grow by leaps and bounds? (Is our home his home?)</div>
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We're praying for discernment. For peace. For wisdom. </div>
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TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-2759835584924764932017-01-16T14:44:00.001-06:002017-01-26T21:36:40.719-06:00Bringing Home Brantner Boy<div>
Let's cut to the chase.</div>
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Adoption is expensive. Like crazy expensive. </div>
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There's not much we haven't done to help bring our boy home. </div>
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Offering cleaning services: Yep. Did That. Garage Sales: Yep, quite a few of those. Acquired extra jobs: A handful of those too. </div>
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And although this process has been costly, we've seen the Lord provide in so many wonderful ways. </div>
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There's been lots going on in our little adoption process the last few weeks. And we can't wait to share ALL THE DETAILS about all the happenings. </div>
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But first. Some friends have graciously offered to help us raise the last teensy bit of funds to help us bring our boy home! (Eek.. its getting closer and closer!!)</div>
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On March 24, our church will host a benefit not only to bless our family, but our hope and prayer is that it will serve as a catalyst for Orphan Care around the world. </div>
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You can Reserve your spot <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bringing-home-brantner-boy-tickets-31013023789" target="_blank">HERE!!!</a> </div>
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And if you want to be a BIG PART of the event, email me! :) (We're collecting donations for a silent and live auction. Your donation would be a huge blessing to one very loved and lonely little boy. And will serve as a catalyst to provide love and care to many more kids in need of a loving family.)</div>
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TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-36909668339719727682016-12-28T13:35:00.000-06:002017-01-26T21:36:30.356-06:00It's A Wonderful LifeThe past few weeks have been filled with one fun activity after another. All the Christmas celebrations and festivities have provided a welcomed distraction from all the waiting. Sort of.<br />
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Because even in the midst of all the amusement, it's hard to keep my mind from wandering to what it will be like with our boy home and enjoying all the fun, too. Will he like the sugar cookies, too? Or will the process of baking them be overwhelming to him? Maybe he'd prefer chocolate chip cookies?</div>
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Our family loves piling on a couch with a bowl of popcorn and watching movies, especially Christmas movies. But all the relaxing can sometimes be hard, too. My mind wanders during those still nights. One night specifically, the cost of the upcoming part of the process seemed incredibly daunting. (Around $20,000+ left.) Dollar signs would not stop swirling in my head. I snuck away from the couch for a quick second, ran as quietly as I could to the computer, logged in to one of the organizations (ShowHope) we had applied for a grant through. </div>
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A few weeks prior, I had told some friends <span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">"this Christmas would be so awesome if it were like I<i>t's A Wonderful Lif</i></span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>e</i> and all these organizations and people just throw money at us for this adoption." (You know, sans the reallllly sad and troubling rest of the movie.) Then, we laughed because sometimes I say ridiculous things. But.. there I sat.. waiting for the computer to load up the page.</span></div>
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Wait. What?!!? What does that mean?!? Why can't you just TELL US ONLINE?!?! Why do we have to wait for a letter in the mail?!?! The suspense is KILLING ME!!!</div>
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After freaking out for a minute and texting a few friends, I breathed.. and prayed. I prayed for the Lord to calm my heart... my mind recalled another organization (Lifesong) we had just heard from the day before. We were awarded a pretty generous matching grant through Lifesong. But the thing with matching grants is that people donate.. and the organization then matches the amount that has been donated toward your fund. We were so grateful for the news... but wait. All these people... they've all lavishly poured money into our adoption process. Knowing this little boy... our boy deserves a family though, I don't mind putting his story and our story out there. If anyone deserves being donated to, I know he does. So, we put our situation out there for all the people to see. We praised God for the gift of this grant. </div>
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I made my way back into the folds of entangled limbs on the couch and enjoyed the remainder of the movie. And the next day held more distractions in the form of sugary treats, errands and general Christmas break fun. I had resolved in my heart and mind to try my hardest to not check the mailbox 500 times a day in anxious waiting of the letter from ShowHope. I prayed for extra grace.. for extra patience.. and to fully enjoy the wonderful gifts the Lord's given me in the form of 4 blonde people that take up all the room in our warm home. </div>
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Imagine my shock when I opened this that very afternoon... just one VERY SHORT day after the decision was made regarding our ShowHope grant.</div>
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My fingers fidgeted and fumbled clumsily... my eyes refused to focus on the words. A few deep breaths later, my heart slowed enough to make all my motor skills work fine enough. And much to my surprise and delight... Show Hope had granted our family an abundant amount towards our adoption costs. ($5,000 to be exact!!!) WHAT?!?! It goes without saying that we praised God for this beautifully HUGE gift.</div>
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And much to our surprise.. people weren't done being openhanded with their cash either. Donations poured into our Lifesong account for the matching grant. </div>
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Sure, we've discussed the costs of adoption... its a whole bunch of agency fees, government fees, costs of forms, postage and a million things all wrapped up. All the donations towards LifeSong and Show Hope will largely pay for the remainder of all those agency fees, and even 50% of our travel fees. The other 50% of travel is cash we HAVE to have in hand. Lifesong and ShowHope can only send all moneys raised to our agency. And our agency cannot just send us that cash needed for traveling. So, it's a funny little line.. trying our best to raise all these funds through these two beautiful organizations.. but also, somehow acquire the cash needed when we step on the plane. </div>
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Overjoyed by the news of Lifesong matching grant and the Show Hope gift, my mind was pretty far from being too worried about the cash we still had to come up with for travel. </div>
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Christmas Eve was spent celebrating the birth of our Savior with our wonderful church family. A few of our dear friends wrapped me in warm embraces, celebrating all that's been happening in our adoption world lately... and snuck bits of cash into our hands as well. And I cried... and laughed...cried some more. </div>
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That ridiculous notion I had about our Christmas being like <i>It's A Wonderful Life</i>... that thought I had chuckled over for weeks... that seemed absolutely preposterous... well. I guess it really wasn't. </div>
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In just 12 very short days, people generously gave 75% of our matching grant goal, we were awarded the Show Hope grant... and were given about 5% of the cash needed for traveling. In less than HALF a month, the Lord provided $14,040 through many generous donors!</div>
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We are grateful for all that He has done! And I am especially grateful that He is teaching me more and more about His grace and provision by providing in such a short time frame! Hah!</div>
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TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-39235092892471641082016-12-20T15:51:00.001-06:002016-12-20T16:04:40.205-06:00The Process is CrazinessThe adoption process is craziness. All the work.. all the emotions.. all the things.. it's just a bit crazy. But it's also a lot wonderful. It's challenging, because you feel like all the papers have overtaken your entire life. Quite frankly, I have no idea how a couple could possibly gather all their documents and both hold down a full-time job. It's challenging, because your heart breaks for the millions of children in the world that NEED a family... and knowing the one that belongs in your family is sitting there waiting for you, while there's nothing you can possibly do to get to him sooner. And it's challenging because crazy things happen to you during the process. (Being involved in a hit and run accident in the midst of gathering all the documents, or your oven quitting on you and putting on quite a theatrical display of it, too.)<br />
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Our hearts have been on this passionate tug-of-war for quite some time now. Our lungs have felt at full-capacity for quite some time as we've been holding our breath in anticipation for our sweet boy. </div>
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But in the midst of all the crazy.. in the midst of the heart-wrenching moments.. in the midst of all the work, the encouragement never ceases to amaze me. From random text messages, to Facebook comments, to a note in the mail, a hug from a friend, a random donation to our adoption fund.. the ways we've been cheered on over the past 31 months has been incredible. </div>
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It's been so inconceivably amazing that it was safe to assume we'd reached a point that no form of encouragement would be quite shocking. Does that mean that any kind of encouragement is expected now? Well, no, definitely not. Does that mean that we don't cherish every donation made and we're not brought to our knees in praise when it happens? Well, no. </div>
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But sometimes, something new.. something fresh.. something different happens... and it doesn't always have to be a GINORMOUS gesture, but even the small and so amazingly sweet things bring a smile to your heart, a gasp to your lips, and the ugly cry to your eyes. </div>
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As we returned home after Community Group, I checked the mail. In the box was a handful of cards and such. It's not unusual for our mailbox to be filled with personalized envelopes this time of year. I love seeing our name and address handwritten on the outside of an envelope. And it brings me so much joy to see all the beautiful faces of our loved ones that take up the space inside those envelopes. But inside one of those envelopes, I also found this red envelope. </div>
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In it, my incredibly sweet friend wrote that it's customary for someone to be given a red envelope in celebration of the Chinese New Year. She wished us well on our adoption journey, and is praying that we can use her gift in China soon. </div>
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And again. At a completely random moment... on a mundane day.. I was overwhelmed by the goodness of the Lord....for this friend that has been so gracious in helping me learn about our son's culture, and hasn't snickered too loudly when I've tried my best at his native language. As the tears poured down, I recalled all the ways He has provided for our family on this journey. For the friends that have spent countless hours helping raise funds... for the friends who've prayed countless prayers on our behalf and for our son... for those who've not held their tongue or stopped their fingers from sending encouraging words.. for those who've selflessly emptied their pockets. </div>
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If there is anything I want to remember about the last 31 months.. and the next few months, its that the adoption process is crazy. The adoption process is crazy amazing. It is crazy good. It is crazy encouraging. </div>
TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-77549873413700671392016-12-19T15:16:00.001-06:002016-12-20T16:04:55.760-06:00Oh.. Hi there... I have a blog?It has been so incredibly long since I have blogged. Let's all hope my brain can still make complete thoughts that flow pretty.. and are comprehensible.<br />
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About a year ago, we were wrapping up the "paper chase" for our adoption process through Haiti. (The paper chase refers to allllll the 500bazillion documents you have to gather for the adoption process. These documents are pretty much your life on paper. Birth certificates, Marriage certificate, a homestudy that outlines your entire life, reference letters written by people who love you, etc.) Signing up for an international adoption, you know the process could be lengthy.. and sometimes crazy. There is no way to guarantee a completely smooth transaction, and there can always be some unknown twists in the process. So, when we submitted our 5trillion documents to be mailed to Haiti, we didn't necessarily bank on the promise of bringing home our son in a short amount of time. However, we weren't ready for the news we received when we did submit our docs. Our agency had to relay the difficult news that while Haiti wasn't exactly shut down, they weren't really processing adoptions either. The documents we had spent months and months gathering would have to wait in our agency's office for almost a year before they could even be mailed to Haiti. Once there, because Haiti is SO backlogged and unable to keep up, it would be another year before our information would even be put into their child welfare system. Then.. it could be another 1-2 years before we received a referral... and THENNNNN it would be about another year (or possibly longer) before we could travel to pick him up. </div>
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We were heartbroken. We prayed. We asked a lot of questions. Our agency was so gracious and kind.. and honest. We prayed more. We researched other countries. Our agency provided wise counsel. </div>
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And so.. we switched our adoption process to China. Because we stayed with the same agency.. and because the news from Haiti was so sudden and shocking, the agency carried over all fees that had been paid towards our Haiti adoption process to the China adoption process. With one of the biggest hurdles being cleared (financial), the only thing standing in our way of switching countries was losing ALLLLLL that work we.. well, I, had done in collecting those 8zillion papers. But. I was DETERMINED! Hours upon hours.. days.. were spent collecting new papers and new letters. Because China's adoption process moves SO quickly in most cases, ALLLL the documents can't be over 6 months old when you mail them to the country. And while it was hard and tedious work, it was all the more opportunities to witness the loving kindness of God even more. From big things like finding out of our dear friends is a notary and acted almost like my personal notarizing assistant, to small things like meeting REALLY kind government employees and passing time standing in lines chatting with interesting people. Having fees waived here and there.. </div>
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Once our documents were all collected, we had to get special certifications by the Secretary of State. Next, our documents had to be certified by the Chinese Consulate in Houston. Yall. I'm not even lying or halfway exaggerating when I say that building is the stuff nightmares are made of. There are (almost) literally 500 rules about your adoption documents. So many stipulations. And there must be copies of said documents and they MUST be in a certain order. I prayed a lot about that particular step in the process... I dreamt a lot about it too. And I might have put on an extra layer or two of deodorant the day we had to go to the consulate to drop our forms off. Once there, I was a mixture of nausea and anticipation. After waiting in line, we were greeted with one of the nicest people EVER. No, he didn't cut jokes or smile profusely the entire time. But.. he was kind, patient and APPROVED ALL OF OUR PAPERS! Seriously, not one person I have ever talked to has had their paperwork approved on the first try! But. We did! PTL! </div>
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It takes a few days for all the papers to get their special stamps. If they would have let me, I probably would have slept in the consulate and kept a watchful eye on them. But.. they wouldn't let me. So, I had to leave months of tears, sweat and hard work in the hands of some random guy holding our adoption destiny. </div>
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Several days later, we picked the forms back up, rushed to make copies, copies and more copies, and then mailed the ORIGINALS to our agency. For real. If someone had given me a plane ticket to Virginia right then, I would have not hesitated flying those documents to the office myself. And from there, the documents made their long journey to China. Our sweet family coordinator (person who facilitates your adoption, and virtually holds your hand and emotions throughout the entire process) emailed me the tracking number for the shipment of documents. Again. I'm not exaggerating.. if I could have flown them to China myself, I would have. My prayer for those few days was that the plane would not have any serious damage while over the ocean, and ALLL those precious papers would not end up floating in salt water. So many friends were so gracious to not laugh in my face about those silly fears, and were so kind to pray on our behalf for those things. </div>
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Once your docs arrive in a country, you have to be logged into the child welfare system. This pretty much means that you'll be recognized as an adoptive family by that country and be available to adopt.</div>
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Our docs reached China at lightning speed... okay, 3 days. And we were prepared to wait about 2-3 weeks for our file to be logged into their system. We were SHOCKED to receive an email the same day our documents arrived in China to say that our file was logged in the SAME DAY! </div>
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It seems like our little adoption process has had about 500 crazy little twists, turns, stall outs and general mayhem. So, when we get all those 9trillion documents gathered in the right time frame... and those documents are approved by a consulate that's been known to have stringent rules.. and they arrive at all the destinations without any hiccups.. and they also are logged in so quickly.. we CELEBRATE all those victories.. even if they seem small! </div>
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So. Now. We're waiting. Waiting for the call to say they've found the perfect, most precious, little loveliest boy for our family. We're hopeful, anxious, and like every other part of this process.. we've only got about 500 feels and emotions on the matter. </div>
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And this waiting.. it could be the absolute hardest part of this whole entire process. We know our boy is there.. in need of love.. in need of medical attention.. in need of a family that will love him fight for him no matter what!</div>
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TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-23425648275601856202014-10-31T10:41:00.004-05:002014-10-31T10:41:56.448-05:00A longing. He must feel it, too. The aroma of Pumpkin, enchanting spices and warm sugar seeps through my home. The kids spend the days giddy for all the festivities that this time of year brings. Their bright smiles are infectious and contagious.<br />
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We, Dad and Mom, find ourselves chuckling with them. It is a joyous time a year with much to be thankful for. We are happy.<br />
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But with each activity, there is an underlying current of anticipation. A sense of longing. We are anxious for this boy to join our home and our family. A boy we have prayed for often. I know he must feel it, too.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Photo Courtesy of <a href="http://www.coreluv.org/" target="_blank">Coreluv</a> Intl.)</td></tr>
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Running, playing and even laughing with his friends in the hot Caribbean sunlight. Chowing down on rice and beans. He must wonder what its like to have a family of his own. He must wonder if there will be a Mom to love him and wipe his tears, a Dad to play soccer with.<br />
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This boy, our boy, should know the immense love of his Mom and Dad. He should know the love of his brother and sisters. He has the right to a family that will cherish him forever and always, the right to be loved and to be a part of a family!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtsFXATYB7NDC07lKmPj6HIFglcdy1CrhZK5QP-u_9S8hkG8e1DSkKsY-MatimPYFCaaI9XTInezZg_7xi9vA6-75i3DQSHDlxhx-JIfsFV9uJEWbPYlKYmDl2daTyDJw3uyRaLXAUuLJ/s1600/photo+1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtsFXATYB7NDC07lKmPj6HIFglcdy1CrhZK5QP-u_9S8hkG8e1DSkKsY-MatimPYFCaaI9XTInezZg_7xi9vA6-75i3DQSHDlxhx-JIfsFV9uJEWbPYlKYmDl2daTyDJw3uyRaLXAUuLJ/s1600/photo+1.PNG" height="137" width="200" /></a>We rest in the fact that God absolutely loves this boy! He LOVES him! Far more and greater than we could ever love this precious child. He sacrificially and selflessly sent His Son to make a way for this boy to be called into a greater family. We pray this boy knows this Father's LOVE. We pray that He will use us to help show this precious boy that LOVE.<br />
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What a joy and privilege it is to show our children this wonderful LOVE! We would love to share this love with our boy. We're onto the next hurdle in our adoption journey. Will you please pray for us as we move forward?<br />
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There are many more documents to be collected. Many more official stamps and seals to be obtained on said documents.<br />
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It has astounded us that so many have been so kind and generous to us in this journey. Your giving, prayers and kind words are humbling! We are so very grateful!<br />
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We know that this time of year presents many opportunities for people to be charitable. There are MANY wonderful ministries and organizations that do so many wonderful things, that accomplish so much and ministers to people in very tangible ways.<br />
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Would you prayerfully consider supporting our adoption journey? We would be so blessed by your charitable gift and generous giving to help bring our boy home.. to his FAMILY!<br />
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Please visit our <a href="http://org.grouprev.com/brantnerfamily" target="_blank">Adoption Fundraising Website</a>.<br />
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Thank you for loving us.. and thank you for loving our boy!<br />
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<br />TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-41327784331934780252014-10-15T14:38:00.002-05:002014-10-15T14:38:16.960-05:00Homestudy Part 2Oh the Homestudy. Its the first step in the adoption process.<br />
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It sounds so simple, so easy.<br />
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I think we win the award for LONGEST home study process. EVER. Funny (and by funny, I really mean, not-so-funny) things happened like our coordinator leaving the country for a little while and our agency encountering a slight hiccup, and well.. it just made the process drag a tad.<br />
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After rounding papers from here, there and everywhere, we were finally ready to welcome our Social Worker into our home. We'll call her "B."<br />
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"B" came by on a lovely Sunday afternoon. We loved having her in our home, and the kids enjoyed "showing off" for her. She had a knack for being warm, welcoming and listened generously. Everyone tells you not to worry about the interview portion of the home study.<br />
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But you never listen. Instead you purge 8 years worth of stuff from every nook and cranny in your home. You get 4 hours of sleep the night before, and are running on pure caffeine and adrenaline when the worker gets to your home. Its awesome. (Said no one ever.)<br />
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About 30 minutes into your interview, you realize you should have totally listened to everyone. The interview portion is nothing to sweat over.<br />
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As soon as "B" left, and my caffeine high subsided, I went into a deep coma for 80 days. Just kidding. But I did sleep REAL good that night. And I've enjoyed the fruits of my spastic cleaning ever since. I've never found things so easily in my pantry before or had so much room to walk in my closet! Its totally amazing.<br />
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"B" does all the fun work of compiling all those documents and the interview into a nice 30-some-odd (really its just about 10) page essay about your entire lives and those closest to you. You get to review it, advise of any adjustments/corrections here or there. And then it gets mailed to you several weeks later.<br />
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Sometimes you might cry when you FINALLY have it in your hands after all those months (5 to be exact) of hard work to complete that thing!<br />
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Yes, we finally have completed our home study! YAY!!!<br />
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Next up? The DOSSIER building. That's just a real fancy word for all. the. papers. of. the. entire. world. TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-35595579519843786952014-07-24T23:27:00.002-05:002014-07-24T23:27:39.772-05:00LEMON-AID StandThere is not a day goes by, that our children don't speak about adoption. Most frequently, our conversations involve their brother.. what he might be like, how old he might be, how he will share our room with our sweet JoJo.<br />
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Inevitably, the conversation turns to WHEN our newest family member will enter into our home and call it HIS. We are all so very excited and anxious for the day that our precious boy will eat, sleep, play, love, pick fights with sometimes, and BE HERE with us!<br />
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And sometimes, the conversation even leads to the financial aspect of adoption. Our eldest fair-headed one has a knack for being on top of things. She is in the know.. about, well everything. She is wildly confident and is a wonderful planner. Her mind articulates all kinds of scenarios, solves problems with ease, and best of all.. she is a dreamer!<br />
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When this girl gets an idea in her head, there is NO STOPPING her! Her bravery amazes me, and I wish I had half her self-esteem and confidence.<br />
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This morning, like so many other mornings, she sat at the table doodling. (Sorry. We are the reason all the forests and trees are cut down everywhere. I promise we will start planting trees somewhere to make up for all the paper this crafty kid goes through.)<br />
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And while she is doodling, she is rattling off all these grand plans left and right. The words flow off her tongue a mile a minute, while her tone fluctuates with excitement at all the right moments.<br />
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She's found the perfect solution to bring her brother home. She is going to have a LEMONADE STAND! Hard at work, the crayons and markers create beautiful images on the paper in front of her.<br />
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(With a tiny bit of help from Mom on making the words all fit with proper justification and such.)<br />
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We spend the rest of our day much like all other summer days. In the blistering Texas sun but making sure to keep cool in a neighborhood pool where we are LITERALLY the only ones in the pool for most of the afternoon.<br />
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We stop by the store on the way home to pick up a few supplies for our grand LEMONADE STAND adventure. And every chance my children get, they chirp to those passing by about our plans. They excitedly share about the boy they will share all their toys, time and love with. They gush over how they can't wait to help bring their brother home with the sales from this endeavor.<br />
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With little time to spare before the coming-home-from-work traffic hits our neighborhood, we prepare our Fresh Squeezed (straight from the Country-Time container) lemonade. We make sure to have all our supplies out and ready.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVTuEFa_e72iQYPr4z4iqYBRTDeP9ArPRhjnU9rTi0nLG9JpllclhHtr4vuFjsLv_vKeYS5yDFmDNzy0hIDgfb_FMzSmJ6VVDPo3mTwIUr2nlWwYB0QP8vR4Az6JWwuUCnQ5ZzmziR303E/s1600/Jade+Bella+Sign+Holding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVTuEFa_e72iQYPr4z4iqYBRTDeP9ArPRhjnU9rTi0nLG9JpllclhHtr4vuFjsLv_vKeYS5yDFmDNzy0hIDgfb_FMzSmJ6VVDPo3mTwIUr2nlWwYB0QP8vR4Az6JWwuUCnQ5ZzmziR303E/s1600/Jade+Bella+Sign+Holding.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
Then, the fun began!<br />
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The girls rushed to hold the signs advertising our "LEMON- AID" stand to each car that passed by!<br />
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I just prayed it wouldn't be a huge flop, and the girls would get just a couple of cars to stop.<br />
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Several minutes passed. We had our first customer. The girls <strike>ambushed</strike> politely asked him if he'd like a cup of lemonade.<br />
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He did.<br />
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Chattering a mile a minute, they enthusiastically explained how they will have a new brother soon because we are adopting! They explained how they wanted to have a "LEMON-AID" stand to help bring their brother home!<br />
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(I fought back the ugly cry. I actually fought it back the whole day. It snuck out a time or two throughout the poster preparing, and the shopping.. and the swimming. And I've realized I need someone to teach my the art of the "Pretty Cry." For pete's sake.. I'm going to be crying lots of big emotional tears. There will be lots of FEELS throughout this process. I can't be breaking down in a completely hideous face everytime the FEELS overwhelm me in public!)<br />
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The man laid $7 down in our collection box. AMAZING! Which, also kind of set the bar high for future customers. I may have had to remind the girls that our most generous customers were free to give as they wished.. and not feel obligated to fork over $7 for some water-downed CountryTime mix.<br />
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The girls worked and worked. They sprinted to pick up a sign each time they heard the faintest sound of a car. With eager grins, they presented the signs advertising a sweet, refreshing beverage.<br />
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Occasionally, a car would stop. But there were others that just whizzed right by. (From henceforth and forevermore, I vow to stop at <b><i>EVERY SINGLE LEMONADE STAND</i></b> from here to kingdom come!) Our expressive four-year-old found great delight and pleasure from throwing her sign on the ground at every failed attempt to attract customers to our tart beverages. And with each person that did stop, we had the chance to chat with neighbors we never even knew lived down or around, or a street over from us. We had the chance to chat adoption, and orphan care, and our Faith. And we did it together. As a family. With my kids more than eagerly serving to bring their brother home.<br />
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As the evening wore on and nighttime drew closer, my little sales-people were ever so polite to keep checking product quality. Being sure to do a taste check here and there, they wanted to make sure that our product was of utmost greatness to serve to the general public.<br />
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We called it a night and closed up shop just as traffic slowed to a near trickle through the neighborhood. <br />
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After a long evening in the hot sun, the kids enjoyed running through the sprinkler. The water cooled them and only made the excitement over the evening that much more palpable.<br />
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And I vowed to want to ALWAYS believe in my little dreamer girl. I want to keep encouraging her and the ways she dreams up ways of bringing her newest sibling into this family. I want to continue to remind her that her ideas are important, they are valued!<br />
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(And I may or may not want to keep cashing in on that brilliant mind and killer smile of hers... which might have raked in over $100 this evening! We are so grateful to God for the very generous people that stopped by our little stand! Thank you for loving our family and loving our sweet boy that we just can't wait to welcome home!)TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-29525785322867934912014-06-18T15:12:00.003-05:002014-06-18T15:12:48.753-05:00New OpportunityHey there! Why, yes we are STILL in the home study process! The fun thing about adoption is ALL. THE. PAPERWORK. Our home study has included LOTS of paperwork. We've just sent in the last of it. Next up, our interviews! This is where we talk about lots of things with our wonderful social worker. Then, they'll compile all this stuff and write up one big summary. They'll slap it all together and VOILA- Homestudy COMPLETE!<br />
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In the meantime, I've started my own business! As you may or may not know, my husband does an INCREDIBLE job busting his hind end for our family. We are so thankful for the Lord's provision for our family in the jobs Matt has! We have been so blessed and taken care of in the last couple of years since I quit my job to be a full time Stay At Home Mom. To help ease the financial strain off of Matt, I watched various kids in our home while their moms worked, and I even picked up a wonderful cleaning job for a year!<br />
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A few weeks ago, my cleaning client let me know my services were no longer needed. Since then, we discussed how I might be able to help in our family's budget and expenses. We debated whether I should extend care to children needing a loving environment during the day or whether to find a new client in need of a clean home. Each option seemed to have vast amounts of pro's and con's. Unfortunately, neither of those options seemed like the best fit for our family at this particular point in time.<br />
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Around the same time, I began regularly communicating with a friend of a friend who is also in the process of adopting a son! She had started her own business through a wonderful company full of other adoptive Moms, ministry leaders, stay at home moms, business executives, and professional minded people. In her kindness, she shared with me how much it had blessed their family since she had taken the leap to start.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNF4TX7bqmoKbOHA6zRnzgU8Jx5GCL22KqUi5phHO54IpzIPQeAbYwY_HRSHv2v5PRr7f0MAoLdZ6-RcIWOuoGVA1zdar1ULUkzfEBS7k6bNK2FAQcLxeG-p-poDDid7723K643MWEwtFV/s1600/ROdan+And+Fields.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNF4TX7bqmoKbOHA6zRnzgU8Jx5GCL22KqUi5phHO54IpzIPQeAbYwY_HRSHv2v5PRr7f0MAoLdZ6-RcIWOuoGVA1zdar1ULUkzfEBS7k6bNK2FAQcLxeG-p-poDDid7723K643MWEwtFV/s1600/ROdan+And+Fields.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a>Matt and I prayerfully considered if this might be a good fit for our family. After some time in prayer and careful deliberation, we decided that it would be crazy not to join in this adventure!<br />
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It is with great joy that I let you know I have decided to partner with the creators of PROACTIV, Dr. Rodan and Dr. Fields, in their newest business venture.<br />
<br />
Rodan+Fields comes from the world's top dermatologists to offer customers products proven to fight wrinkles, large pores, reverse sun damage and signs of melasma, provide relief for skin irritation or treat sensitive skin conditions. and treat adult acne!<br />
<br />
I love what these products have already done for my skin, and I would be so happy to help you find the perfect product for your skin care needs!<br />
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So, why do I need a job? Well, adoption costs. And not just adoption fees either. Every form, every little piece of paper, every trip to this office or that, every mile put on the car, every gallon of gas to get to here or there, parking for this location or that… It all costs! And these are fees and expenses I will gladly pay in order to bring our son home through the most ethical means possible! But they are still expenses that take a toll on a family budget.<br />
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In the future, we look forward to sharing with you some of the more traditional fundraisers we will have to bring our son home! We would be so honored and blessed for you to share in our joy by supporting us through those fundraising endeavors. But many times, fundraisers typically go straight to the adoption agency. So, in the meantime, I look forward to earning a sustainable income to help with the offset and more "non-traditional" costs associated with adoption… all those little things that add up!TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-58815225071565021692014-05-27T13:34:00.000-05:002014-05-27T13:34:03.416-05:00Homestudy, Part 1One of the first steps in the adoption process is the home study! Yay. (No, seriously, its a GOOD thing! Homestudies are essential to the adoption process. They are needed, and worth while.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_tSSdMtSu-hWX0eDc-HUA7UkRILbNJtnF1K7p3uhVNeRFi3jE5dacFMSQrT2mtXTKKIO8SdwhHSPUWXG3k0akXxp9kU-9GkbKsuifn5sGA-J0qw13hakwvFs47FUnkqlMj59OhaRuoCU2/s1600/Keep+Calm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_tSSdMtSu-hWX0eDc-HUA7UkRILbNJtnF1K7p3uhVNeRFi3jE5dacFMSQrT2mtXTKKIO8SdwhHSPUWXG3k0akXxp9kU-9GkbKsuifn5sGA-J0qw13hakwvFs47FUnkqlMj59OhaRuoCU2/s1600/Keep+Calm.jpg" height="200" width="160" /></a>A homestudy, basically, is just what it sounds like. It's the opportunity for your social worker to study your home.<br />
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But before they even study your actual home, they gather lots of facts about you in documentation that you provide to them. Anyone and everyone will tell you that there's an <b><u>ENORMOUS</u></b> amount of <b>paperwork</b> involved with adoption. Tedious, yes. Frustrating at times, you betcha! Worth it and ultimately good, <b>ABSOLUTELY</b>!<br />
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So. What does a home study actually look like? It starts with a thick envelope from your agency to help you get started on the "paper chase." The forms are pretty mindless and not really out of the ordinary. Basic forms proving who you are, you're an upstanding citizen, and you're in good health.<br />
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But what happens when you don't have all these files and documents <strike>laying around</strike> at your disposal in your home?<br />
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You go on fun "adventures" with your kids downtown to gather said documents! You make sure to pack a backpack full of knick-knacks to keep little hands preoccupied, and you pray there won't be any catastrophes along the way! Catastrophes as in no pee-pee pants, no flying fists and no gnashing of teeth… from you or the littles. Standing in a long line waiting on 1 little document, going from office to the next isn't very fun for Momma. So, you can't expect it to be too fun for the people under 4ft tall in your life, either. As most kids who've been raised in the 'burbs though, they were ECSTATIC to be downtown and amongst the tall buildings.<br />
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When your number is finally called to be helped by an attendant, you see her tag holder thing-a-ma-jig says "I love Jesus" and she's playing the latest Hillsong album at her desk. You might just get leaky eyes and say a quick prayer of Thanks and praise Him for putting believers in your path to encourage you!<br />
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When your adventures are done for the day, you keep trekking along on all those documents. Those mind-numbing documents that in any other circumstance might make you scream. But knowing its bring you one step closer to bringing your son home, gives you a slight thrill and keeps you humbly praying as each thing is checked off that list. You will spend many nights like this. You and the computer screen. You and the gently hum of that scanner loading documents onto your harddrive, only to be emailed a few minutes later. You and the gentle klickity-klackity of that keyboard. Each keystroke on that 20 page autobiography that your pouring your heart out on… its not for nothing. It's your steady "pregnancy" & "labor" to bring a precious boy into your home that needs your unconditional love!<br />
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This is what the first part of the home study process looks like. Tedious, mind-numbing at times, heartfelt, worth it.TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-40139054406904504812014-05-24T14:30:00.003-05:002014-05-24T14:30:42.842-05:00Lifesong Blog Moment<div class="MsoNormal">
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<i>"If our effort to love only affects
ONE person...it is worth it!" </i>-Ivan Zhykhariev,
Ukraine Graduate</div>
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<b>Child Sponsorship. </b>It's easy to
underestimate the impact sponsorship has on a child. Not only are basic needs
(such as food, clothing, shelter) met, but also a sense of belonging is given
that money can't buy. Sponsorship speaks <b><i>"YOU MATTER TO
ME."</i></b> to a child who is longing for love from a family,
security and hope for a future.</div>
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Giving FAMILY to Evelyn {HONDURAS}</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="338" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/89103720" width="600"></iframe></div>
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Testimonies like <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001uv2IFx6aFoYXRkqiVbVR0dCzy8lq9DVfPXvBiymEaieCvD8sWgKH1xFZQvjBp10PKCBSQHpP-CaZc2mol--n2oYhQO5K5aL7DTJASdz7-Lj2wFe9apOV6wvyt_Uk4g1vj4O5gF77Bm9-mpPUhJYfSLJP4Gjd9RwPjZ2tsh5beihYgqCXIjyzRTH2gKYgrLGJRZyom3xokZV5M32c5DFPfDn-1JShqVtxPBqdCKzlyiOnFqr1PMb7rCxne1VHZJ1EoGR7uTWxFntiOXooM6duAA=="><b>Evelyn's</b></a>
reminds us of the work God is doing to change lives in Honduras. Children who
lose their earthly father, learn about their heavenly Father. Children who lose
their family can say they have a new family. Children with little hope are
taught that they can change their nation!</div>
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Currently, <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001uv2IFx6aFoYXRkqiVbVR0dCzy8lq9DVfPXvBiymEaieCvD8sWgKH1xFZQvjBp10PKCBSQHpP-CaZc2mol--n2oYhQO5K5aL7DTJASdz7-Lj2wFe9apOV6wvyt_Uk4g1vj4O5gF77Bm9-mpPUhJYfSLJP4Gjd9RwPjZ2tsh5beihYgqCXIjyzRTH2gKYgrLGJRZyom3xokZV5M32c5DFPfDn-1JShqVtxPBqdCKzlyiOnFqr1PMb7rCxne1VHZJ1EoGR7uTWxFntiOXooM6duAA=="><b>Evelyn</b></a>
has not been chosen by a sponsor to help support her Christian education and
hopeful future. By sponsoring a child like <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001uv2IFx6aFoYXRkqiVbVR0dCzy8lq9DVfPXvBiymEaieCvD8sWgKH1xFZQvjBp10PKCBSQHpP-CaZc2mol--n2oYhQO5K5aL7DTJASdz7-Lj2wFe9apOV6wvyt_Uk4g1vj4O5gF77Bm9-mpPUhJYfSLJP4Gjd9RwPjZ2tsh5beihYgqCXIjyzRTH2gKYgrLGJRZyom3xokZV5M32c5DFPfDn-1JShqVtxPBqdCKzlyiOnFqr1PMb7rCxne1VHZJ1EoGR7uTWxFntiOXooM6duAA=="><b>Evelyn</b></a>,
you can be a part of changing a life, letting a child know they matter by
bringing joy and purpose to their lives.</div>
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Will you help us find Evelyn a sponsor?</div>
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<b><i>Learn more about Child
Sponsorship at </i></b><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001uv2IFx6aFoYXRkqiVbVR0dCzy8lq9DVfPXvBiymEaieCvD8sWgKH1xFZQvjBp10PKCBSQHpP-CYSHYPLpEOXExPOUtoBctrdUdLYOXjoJzUmGbZoxpRHyA=="><b><i>www.lifesongchildsponsorship.org</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b></div>
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Testimony: More than Money {LIBERIA}</div>
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Listen in as Carla Cornell, <a href="https://www.lifesongfororphans.org/give/donate/sponsor-a-child/?sponsorship_choice=2" target="_blank">Liberia Child Sponsor</a> shares on
sponsorship...</div>
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<a href="http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Cornell-Sponsorship.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Cornell Sponsorship" class="alignright<span style=" mso-spacerun:="" yes="" />
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/><em>"Meeting Thomas, Sharine and Prince was something
we had been picturing for months and to finally feel those arms around us was a
priceless, God-given moment. It was then we realized that sponsoring a child
can be so much more than just sending money.</em><div class="MsoNormal">
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<em>It can be an opportunity to open our hearts and
share the love we so often take for granted with a child who needs it
desperately. A child who may never have the same blessings and opportunities
that most of us enjoy but with our help, they can have hope and they can know
Jesus loves them and has not forgotten them. And we can be blessed beyond
measure to be a tiny part of God's plan for them."</em></div>
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<a href="http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/blog/2014/01/so-much-more-than-money-lifesong-liberia/" target="_blank">Read her full
testimony>></a></div>
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#31kids31days</div>
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height="89" width="108" />This month, Help us
find 31 sponsors in 31 days! Each day, we feature a child
that does not yet have a sponsor. Will you join us in advocating on their
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Meet a few of our kids waiting for sponsorship....</div>
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<a href="https://www.zatproject.com/sponsor/?child_id=Z-390" target="_blank"><img alt="Screen Shot 2014-05-15 at
2.21.23 PM" class=" wp-image-84793 " height="283" src="http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Screen-Shot-2014-05-15-at-2.21.23-PM.png" width="281" /></a> <a href="https://www.zatproject.com/sponsor/?child_id=Z-390" target="_blank">Yididiya, 11 years old,
Ethiopia</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.lifesongchildsponsorship.org/sponsor/child/Z143" target="_blank"><img alt="Screen Shot 2014-05-13 at
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<a href="https://www.lifesongfororphans.org/give/donate/sponsor-a-child/?sponsorship_choice=3&Gender=Girl&question=Atonina%20-%20UC119%20If%20Atonina%20has%20already%20been%20sponsored%20today%20please%20assign%20another%20child%20to%20my%20sponsorship%20(31%20kids%20in%2031%20days)" target="_blank"><img alt="Screen Shot 2014-05-13 at
2.22.02 PM" class=" wp-image-84790 " height="283" src="http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Screen-Shot-2014-05-13-at-2.22.02-PM-294x300.png" width="281" /></a> <a href="https://www.lifesongfororphans.org/give/donate/sponsor-a-child/?sponsorship_choice=3&Gender=Girl&question=Atonina%20-%20UC119%20If%20Atonina%20has%20already%20been%20sponsored%20today%20please%20assign%20another%20child%20to%20my%20sponsorship%20(31%20kids%20in%2031%20days)" target="_blank">Antonina, 12 years old,
Ukraine</a></div>
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<b><i>See all featured kids for
the </i></b><b><i>#31kids31days Campaign
at </i></b><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001uv2IFx6aFoYXRkqiVbVR0dCzy8lq9DVfPXvBiymEaieCvD8sWgKH1xFZQvjBp10PKCBSQHpP-CaZc2mol--n2oYhQO5K5aL7DTJASdz7-LhOHrW0ZsApE5udYCi1WWyTyTniZJhPyKk="><b><i>lifesongfororphans.org/31kids31days</i></b></a><b><i> </i></b></div>
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TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-40363803354548332832014-05-21T22:16:00.001-05:002014-05-21T22:16:56.048-05:00And so, it's begun!If you've been around for any length of time, you may have an inclination towards our heart for adoption and in for caring for children.<br />
<br />
Several years ago, through various events and happenings, Matt and I felt the Lord urging our hearts to care for orphans, and more specifically to adopt. At the time, we felt very strongly being led to adopt internationally. However, for one reason or another we were unable to begin the process of international adoption. (You can read about that <a href="http://thebrantners.blogspot.com/2013/02/adoption.html" target="_blank">here</a> .)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqlNu4mM6RYq3CCt80_lJuwDPQp-NiTOFylVbyQCnXO_E8XvLLToypywtd0plfVZEmj0X7qK8KGqmtTcyNQueAtQw1mgi4v9FmhkC-Vka1s5bE4qVG1OQINyyjK5KSJpkC085bf7LuDmM/s1600/Orphans+Chalkboard+art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqlNu4mM6RYq3CCt80_lJuwDPQp-NiTOFylVbyQCnXO_E8XvLLToypywtd0plfVZEmj0X7qK8KGqmtTcyNQueAtQw1mgi4v9FmhkC-Vka1s5bE4qVG1OQINyyjK5KSJpkC085bf7LuDmM/s1600/Orphans+Chalkboard+art.jpg" height="320" width="251" /></a></div>
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Being open minded and having hearts softened by prayer, we even tried beginning the process of adopting a child from within our home state. (I've mentioned that<a href="http://thebrantners.blogspot.com/2013/03/orientation.html" target="_blank"> here</a>.) But for multiple reasons, we just did not feel at peace about adopting locally. (We talked about that <a href="http://thebrantners.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-letter-from-my-husband.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://thebrantners.blogspot.com/2014/03/in-case-you-were-wondering.html" target="_blank">here</a>.. again.)<br />
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During our time in prayer, our hearts were continually being led back to the plight of international orphans. (Please don't misunderstand me, there are children EVERYWHERE that are in need of a loving home, and a family to sacrificially love them.) <br />
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And after years of prayer and preparation, we are so happy to announce that <b><span style="font-size: large;">WE ARE ADOPTING</span></b>! For reals.<br />
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Through the Lord's provision, we were able to acquire the amount needed to begin our application and home study process to bring our boy home from Ethiopia. We are nearing the end of the home study process and I can tell you that all of that waiting just to start the process was not wasted. Every day.. every month.. every year waiting to begin this process has worked in our hearts (and in our minds) in tremendous ways. We look forward to sharing with you all the joys (and the heartaches) this process will bring. And we would be so grateful for you to come along side us in this journey. First, please cover us, all the people we come in contact with through this process, and our sweet boy that's needing his family in prayer.<br />
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In the words of some of our great friends, our main goal in adopting our precious boy is to "<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">'commend the gospel through adoption.' Our adoption story is just one of many amidst the greatest adoption story.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> " (Josh and Angela Walker, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hymnsforselena?ref=br_tf" target="_blank">Hymns for Selena</a>)</span><br />
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<br />TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-51970915378707598492014-05-02T17:04:00.000-05:002014-05-02T17:07:41.065-05:00My Kind of Therapy"It's 9a.m. I'm ready to be done for the day. I want to get back in bed," the blunt text to my husband read this morning.<br />
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In typical Superman fashion, he texted back with an encouraging word or two.<br />
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It's been a long week in the Brantner home, and I was just ready to crash into bed and let it be Saturday already. I trudged home from the grocery store. Anxious for it almost to be nap time, I put away all the groceries in the blink of an eye. But try as I might, I couldn't settle down.<br />
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<br />
I knew what I had to do. Clean.<br />
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My spice/catch all cabinet has long been the target of my "need to clean to work things out" therapy. But today, I knew I needed to do more.<br />
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Armed with the cleaning essentials, I shuffled my two ducklings up the stairs to play in their rooms.<br />
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"Maybe if I clean the whole upstairs, I might feel better," the next text to my husband read.<br />
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I realized.. that I LOVE cleaning!<br />
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<b>Here are 4 of my favorite things about cleaning:</b><br />
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<b>1. It's therapeutic. </b>Instead of wallowing in my (figurative) funk, I got up and got busy. My body tries to confuse me if I'm stressed sometimes and makes me think I'm sleepy. But, I knew I wasn't sleepy because I've been getting plenty of sleep. And I knew my kids definitely would not benefit from a mommy that wanted to wallow and nap all day. Whilst cleaning, I was able to pray about what's been going on in my heart and head this week. I was also able to happily entertain two little people by providing perfect scenarios for Lego Man and Barbie. Although, I'm pretty certain the Lord afforded me an extra heaping of grace and mercy in that department today. My kids usually prefer the company of Mommy sitting and playing right next to them all. the. time., and not just vocal encouragement and instruction.<br />
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<b>2. It makes me realize how much we have. </b>I love decorating our girl's hair. Love it. Love putting in a braid or making a fun bun. And I love buying them different hair accessories. But I didn't realize just how much we had. "<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Cleaning today. 2 things I am certain of. #1. I will never need to buy another hair accessory for my girls, as I have picked up at least 5000 hair bands, 6987 hair bows, and another 1,230,495 head bands. #2. I am a hoarder of books."</span> And its just not the hair accessories. It's our laundry too, and the dishes. Cleaning always gives me a grateful heart for the Lord's provision in our lives. I see first hand throughout the day just how full our tummies have been, how well clothed we have been, and how spoiled we are even with pretty things.<br />
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<b>3. It helps take the added stress away.</b> Sure, this one probably can be filed under number 1. But, if something is already got my mind whirring… an extra large heaping load of dirty laundry staring at me from the top of the stairs isn't necessarily going to ease my troubled mind. I can tend to the laundry, scrub those nooks and crannies, and process everything that's been going on. And when I'm done, I've got somewhat tangible proof of the work that's been done in my heart during the process. Today, the 'ol blood pumper got a real thorough scrubbing. You can tell just how deep it was cleaned because I even cleaned out under the beds, got the vacuum attachments out and vacuumed under the beds too.<br />
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<b>4. It almost counts as a workout.</b> And we all know, that working out gives you endorphins. And endorphins make you happy. And happy people don't kill people. They just don't. Working out also burns calories. Which lets face it, I'll be enjoying those extra calories in the form of some chocolate. Chocolate is also one of my favorite therapeutic stress reducers. So, there you have it. It all comes kind of full circle really.<br />
<br />TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-73123855264484793432014-05-01T13:16:00.000-05:002014-05-01T13:16:10.346-05:00Throwback Thursday Story: Being close enough to Needtobreathe to be spit on<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My husband loves music. I mean, I like it a lot too. But he really loves music. Which in a way is really good, since its kind of his job.</div>
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Now that we are real grown-ups, the concerts we attend are more few and far between than in yesteryears. And as we've "matured", our choice in visited venues is much more selective.</div>
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I'll never forget the first NeedToBreathe concert we went to. Several years back, on the heels of their 2nd album release they made a stop in Houston. They were already a big deal, but hadn't really exploded with popularity just yet. </div>
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My handsome blonde guy and I dined at a nearby restaurant. We quickly made our way to the venue to get a good spot in the line for when they opened the doors. Being some of the first ones in, we planted ourselves (nearly) front row center of the general audience (standing room) section. </div>
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And y'all. They put on an awesome concert! As in the words of BooMama, it was pure joy from start to finish. Years later, we still say that it is one of <i>the</i> <b>BEST</b> concerts we've ever been to. Definitely top 3.<br />
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(*Fun sidenote. I was a few months into my pregnancy with our sweet boy who would complete the trifecta of little blonde people in our home, or the 3rd musketeer, or the 3rd stooge, or … well, you get it.)TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-39993626802248942712014-04-30T18:39:00.003-05:002014-04-30T18:39:26.957-05:00Together We Wept<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sometimes our sinful nature and the evidence of the fall hit you with such abrupt force, it leaves you in tears.<br />
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My phone chimed with an email. Not really a sound I pay much attention to on most occasions. But in a quiet house, with nothing filling my mind but relaxation, I opened my email to see what the message might be.<br />
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Unfortunately, my excitement over it not being Spam mail was quickly replaced with heartbreak. Our beloved eldest child had chosen not to restrain her excited chitter chatter during a time that required her complete attention at school. Even after a gentle reprimanding by her instructors, she chose to keep jabbering with a few of her besties. Our strong, independent girl was unable to participate in the rest of the activities with her classmates due to her actions.<br />
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I wept when I saw the email. Utterly heartbroken over my daughter's blatant sinful actions towards her instructors. And as swiftly as I cried for her, the Spirit gently stirred my heart to recollect on times I have been unsubmissive to those in authority over me.. or times I was prideful in thinking my way was better than someone else's.<br />
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Her sweet face was remorseful as she buckled her seatbelt in the car. Worlds of sorrow and "sorry" flowed from her precious, little mouth. We wept together.<br />
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There are sins that are easily "swept under the rug" at times, or sins that don't quite catch our eyes all the time. The usual toy snatching and stinginess of a toddler and pre-schooler in a battle royale becomes almost normal in our eyes. So normal that it may not quite break our hearts over our own sinful natures each time we see it.<br />
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But sometimes, things happen.. and the Lord might use one particular instance to instantly open your eyes.<br />
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Digging deeper than just the surface of the situation, together we pinpointed what caused her to act the way she had. Obviously, she was reprimanded for being chatty by the authorities. But, at the heart of the matter she did not respect those in authority over her and acted out of a pride to keep talking with her friends.<br />
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Without the gospel, we could stay in this sorrowful place over her (and my) wrongdoings. But through the lens of the gospel, we can rejoice that the war has been won. The battle was fought, and Jesus secured victory through His work on the cross. Through our faith in Him, we can confess our sins and repent… knowing He is just and good to forgive us. We can pray that the Holy Spirit does a work in our hearts to make us joyful obeyers to those in authority over us.<br />
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I'm never a big fan of when my kids sin.. whether they are big sins or little sins (in our eyes at least). But I am a big fan of leading my kids to Jesus and the Cross. Whether I do that in times of strife or times of great joy in our house, may I do it boldly. There is no greater joy in motherhood than the opportunity to witness to my kids about our risen Savior.TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-13046937337569869482014-04-24T19:40:00.002-05:002014-04-24T19:45:48.342-05:00Reading Reading and More ReadingIt's no secret that I've got a slight addiction to reading. I love to read. Reading is one of my favorites.<br />
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The past few months, I haven't done too much leisure reading because I've been all wrapped up in this gem:<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/141587171X/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=141587171X&linkCode=as2&tag=thebran04-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=141587171X&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thebran04-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thebran04-20&l=as2&o=1&a=141587171X" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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Can I let you in on a little secret? This is my first completed women's bible study that took me through an entire book of the bible. It will hold a special place in my heart. Beth really helped you get the entire context of the scripture. Not only because you were engrossed in it, but all the cross-references and implications of the particular passage that was presented. I always had a fondness for the book of James. But having walked through an in depth study of it... well, now, its just real special!</div>
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Our next bible study won't start up for a few weeks. So, in the meantime, I'm hoping to squish in as much reading as possible!</div>
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First up:</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1433538881/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1433538881&linkCode=as2&tag=thebran04-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1433538881&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thebran04-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thebran04-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1433538881" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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I'm gonna finish this awesomely encouraging piece by Gloria Furman. I started this a few weeks ago on a little road-trip with the fam. The book is packed with deep, biblical encouragement for the busy mom. All the sippy-cup refilling, laundry folding, and home-work helping can wear a girl out sometimes. This book has helped shift my focus back where it needs to be- even in the midst of the chaos motherhood can bring sometimes. </div>
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Next?</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1455523925/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1455523925&linkCode=as2&tag=thebran04-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1455523925&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thebran04-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thebran04-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1455523925" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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Reading really helps me grasp a concept or how to better serve people. While this particular story may not mirror every refugee family's story exactly, I do believe it will help me better understand what life in a refugee camp looks like, as well as what life looks like when they are first out of it. Plus, I'm just really intrigued to know how it effected this chick's life that reached out to the family!</div>
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What have YOU been reading lately? Any real page turners? I wanna hear about it! I love all books! Fiction, autobiographies, books to encourage me in my faith, etc.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(*Disclaimer: These are affiliate links. If you happen to make a purchase, my little fam will get a tiny kick-back. New and exciting things are happening around these here parts, and I'll share 'em with you soon.)</span></div>
TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704595936018015069.post-59118430702836553552014-04-17T14:16:00.002-05:002014-04-17T14:16:47.284-05:00Am I in labor?<div>
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<a href="http://www.themomcreative.com/tag/throwback-thursday-stories" title="Throwback Thursday Stories "><img alt="Throwback Thursday Stories " src="http://www.themomcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/150x150-TBTedited2.png" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
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My middle section was stretched almost to its limits. My feet showed swollen signs of the end of a pregnancy. And we were excited to meet our precious boy. <div>
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The carseat was loaded in the car in the chance I went into labor. All the linens were washed, and ever preparation that could be made was made. </div>
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I went to the doctor to see how the pregnancy was progressing. Because his two older sisters had to be forcibly evacuated from the womb, I was expecting our sweet boy to be content on holding out a bit longer. However one week prior to my due date, the doctor made an assumption that I wouldn't make it back for my next appointment. In his estimations, I would deliver our third child without the help of an induced labor. I chuckled right to his face and said, "ok, see you next week!"</div>
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The remainder of the day was as mundane as any other Monday. The phone rang and emails chimed in as I educated customers on insurance policies, rates and appropriate coverages for their needs. </div>
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After the work day was done, I raced home to embrace my two favorite little blonde girls in a big hug. Being away from them for so many hours during daylight hours always made my Momma heart hurt too much. As much as I wanted to just sit and cuddle them on the couch that evening, I had a nagging feeling to clean every square inch of the house. So, I did. I cleaned from the tip top to the bottom, and back again. There wasn't a surface in the home that wasn't wiped clean, or any fabric that hadn't been swished clean in the washing machine. All the things were in their proper places, and everything was just so. </div>
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My loving husband stubbornly encouraged me to quit for the night just after 10. Begrudgingly, I resigned to the shower. Once I had washed the muck from the day away, I retired to bed. Tossing and turning for an eternity did not ease me into a peaceful sleep. I just didn't feel well. </div>
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Maybe fixing my damp hair and passing time would help lull me into a deep sleep? I got out of bed to primp my hair just a bit, returned to bed for more tossing and turning.</div>
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I still didn't feel well. So, I trudged downstairs for a snack. After a few glasses of water and a granola bar, I willed my legs to carry me back up the stairs. </div>
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Several hours later, I still didn't feel well and just couldn't go back to sleep. I finally woke my husband in the smack dab middle of the night. </div>
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"I think I might be in labor," I whispered to him.</div>
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"What? Really? How do you know," he questioned me.</div>
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"I have no idea! I've never been in real labor before," I exclaimed back.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_zV-YFHm576LfVX5oxDBfOilQXaGMQDwjXbIQL0p_JtJeK0lvOgLK32kl82-pgZlfKxRkkXBebKkV2gv5F6Zsx1qpKbDE5-2NuC51VDi6t2APfe1N5uFS_1mNQ3_ZOOAEVJHZHr4BKh6/s1600/IMG_1472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_zV-YFHm576LfVX5oxDBfOilQXaGMQDwjXbIQL0p_JtJeK0lvOgLK32kl82-pgZlfKxRkkXBebKkV2gv5F6Zsx1qpKbDE5-2NuC51VDi6t2APfe1N5uFS_1mNQ3_ZOOAEVJHZHr4BKh6/s1600/IMG_1472.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After laboring most of the night at home, I finally made myself go to the hospital. This #tbt pic is me in labor with our 3rd blondie. </td></tr>
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After arrangements and decisions were made, I finally went to the hospital. Since my labors had not naturally started on their own for my previous pregnancies, I had no idea what the start of a natural labor felt like. I was scared of looking foolish and kept telling my mom "I'm gonna feel so dumb if I'm not really in labor." </div>
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To my amazement (and relief), I <i>was in labor</i>. </div>
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I always chuckle a little when I remember the birth story of our spirited little Dino lover. Being a mom of 2 might qualify you to know what to expect when you go into labor, but I felt so clueless going to the hospital. And not much has changed since then. He's kept me on my toes and surprises me quite frequently.</div>
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TheBrantnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03519755979675557575noreply@blogger.com0