baby dedication.

tonight my babies were dedicated at church.

a church that has become our family the past 5 years.
we don't live in the same city as any blood family members but God has blessed us with an amazing community that has surrounded us, supported us, loved us and walked with us the past almost 5 years.

so to stand on the stage with 10 other families, to dedicate to love and raise our children to know & love the Lord was pretty special.  It's a day I've dreamed about for years.  Literally, every Elements service I've watched with tears in my eyes as other families dedicate their babies.  and today.  god ordained today a long time ago.  it was special.

I love what Chad [one of our children's pastors] said...these kids aren't OUR kids, they are GODS.  and we commit them into HIS hands and trust that He is good.  He has given them to us to love & parent on this earth, but they are HIS kids.  He read scripture from Deuteronomy 6:4-9,

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

Lord, that's what we want to do!  We want to teach them about you, we want to teach them about your great love for them.  We want to teach you + talk to you about that great love every day as we seek to raise you in a Godly home!  

[Stephen's mom, "Nanny" drove in - thankful she lives not too far!]

and it was so special to have so many friends there.  sadly, we had to leave early [I guess the babies wanted to go to bed before 9pm? who knew? :)] so I don't have pictures with everyone but please know we love you & you are so special to us!!! 

[the Knights!  love them all ;)]

[Wendy & Jenna....we have become quite the trio.  these girls are my kinna crazy.  we push each other, challenge each other, encourage/love/pray for each other and I am so thankful to do life with them!]

[2 of Wendy's kids...Baylie on the left, Sydnie on the right.  I ❤ these girls + their entire family. Can't believe we didn't really know each other before Africa last year. They are our midland family. Sydnie + Bailey + Lacey (where were you for this pic?) are Angels with my babies. What a joy to watch Bailey go into those baptismal waters. She has a huge heart and will do mighty things in Jesus name!

One of my besties, Alison [who's literally been there since the beginning of the "trying to start a family" thing]  said it well when she texted me after the service and said, 

"Oh my goodness sweet friend, I can't tell you the overwhelming feeling that came over me seeing your sweet family on stage!!  The presence of The Lord was SO powerful tonight!  Tears just flowed and flowed and flowed out of sheer JOY in witnessing a family of believers proclaiming the gospel!  And your sweet angels. Oh that they live in a Godly home and have the most amazing parents!  I am truly so honored to know them!  So thankful for your friendship and for our community and church!!  My heart is so full tonight!"

part of me wishes I could have watched it through their eyes.  I probably would have cried + cried too. 

such a testament to Gods faithfulness!!  They are HERE and we are PARENTS!  it's for real!
Thank you JESUS!!!! 

[one more of my sweet mommas boy!]

Where to start?

One of my biggest joys is getting to talk to adoptive mommas who are just starting the process.  

They are so expectant.  so excited for what God is going to do.  they have no idea that where they are now, will soon end with something similar to the image above.  beautiful, sent from god child(ren)!

one thing about these mommas is they are a sponge for information.

I remember when we decided to adopt, we didn't have any real life friends who had adopted, and didn't know the first thing to do!  It did seem scary & foreign and totally new. 

So I love getting to talk to moms, answer their questions, connect them with people/agencies/resources because when I didn't know anyone and I was calling random people I found online and friends of friends of friends & I loved it when people helped me.  and my general philosophy in life is to pay it forward!  people helped me - so I want to help people. 

So really there are about a dozen posts I have in my head to write, and I will get there.
they include: fundraising, choosing a country, fundraising, people raising, ha.

but I do have these nifty little pages on my blog that if you are reading from reader or bloglovin' you might not know about.  I have one called "adoption" and there you can find a little bit about our story, our timeline, a few videos, and some resources for you & your journey.

Here's just a little clip of the resource section (at the bottom)


Together for Adoption - amazing adoption conference, and outstanding resources
Noonday Collection - consider becoming an ambassador to raise funds for your adoption or simply host a trunk show!
Give1Save1 - features a different family each week to raise money for their adoption
147 million orphans - fundraising program & awesome adoption gear
Project Hopeful - education on adopting HIV+/AIDS orphans
Generations Adoptions - another amazing agency, specializing in Ugandan adoptions
Reece's Rainbow - information on adopting children with special needs
Show Hope - offers grants to adoptive families
Abba Fund - financial solutions for adoptions
Rainbow Kids - guidelines for each country, waiting children's lists

Stephen & I are conference junkies and our whole story from when we said YES started when we went to a Together for Adoption conference.  Something about worshiping, being taught from and meeting 900 other people who all had a heart for adoption that sparked something inside of us.  It connected us with several key organizations that have sense become a huge part of our story (noonday collection, Visiting Orphans).

But after that, we started researching agencies.  Every country has it's own requirements, and we quickly learned that out of all the African countries, we met the qualifications of Ethiopia.

If you are unfamiliar, these qualifications include things such as: your age, how long you've been married, how many kids you have at home, etc.  Ethiopia requirements are you have to be 25 years old & married for 1 (or is it 2?) years.

in the resources section, rainbow kids is a great place to get a good look at all countries agencies.  So if you are not sure where you want to adopt from, or what countries you qualify for - that is a good place to start.

so...that's really all for today.  just a quick glimpse into how our story started & some resources to hopefully help answer some of your questions.

Once I get my blog all re-organized + designed I hope to make it easier for you to find older posts that might be able to help you.  but until then....hope this helped!

feel free to ask questions & if I know the answer I'd be glad to help! 

ps - right now actually I'm at an amazing adoptive mommas retreat called Created for Care. so, you should look it up & look into it for march or next year!

*have a good weekend friends, I'm signing off through the weekend to be present at the retreat!  I'll answer all questions/comments next week when I get home!

ethiopian roots run deep.

it's late Thursday night + I'm having one of my "in the mood" late photo editing nights.
thinking about the day.
seriously, adoption has changed our whole life.
it has expanded our world view ten fold.
people that we might never have had the opportunity to know, we now consider family.

I mean, when did we ever go over to our "ethiopian parents" house for coffee ceremonies?
or go to gotcha day parties + celebrate orphans no more being in their forever families?

it's insane.
and I love every minute.


we want our kids to KNOW all about their culture.
so we love when getanah & wosene speak to them in amharic + even oromo (their tribal language)
we love it when we participate in one of the greatest traditions of their home culture - the coffee ceremony.

we love it when they have friends who come from the same places as they do.

tonight, as our sweet friend Lana's daughter Eva Rose met Camp + Asher for the first time, Lana told her simply that they come from the same place that she does.

Eva just studied Asher and said in her 3 year old voice, "mommy she has hair just like me & Lomi do".  Yes, Eva she sure does.  and her skin is the same as yours.
Eva strokes her skin and says an enthusiastic, "yeah!"
"and her eyes are black too"

simple conversation but it still stole my heart.

I love that that four little girls who once lived as orphans in Ethiopia, can now call each other friends in Midland Texas.  they can relate to each other.  even at a young age.  

I'm so thankful for the adoptive families that we are blessed to call friends!

and those of you who are adopting & don't know ANYONE who's adopting in your area... rest assured, we didn't either when we started this thing.  the bond of adoption runs thick.  you will meet "your people"!  pray for an adoption boom in your city! 

Emme, it was an honor to celebrate your gotcha day tonight.  I can't believe it's been 1 year since you've been home.  I still remember so well sitting in YOUR room with YOU IN IT just in awe.  after months of no Emme in that room, that day you spun me around in your chair it all became real.
you are a beautiful joyful  and have the best-laugh-ever + I'm blessed to know you! (jennas blog here!)

camp + asher, may you never lose your Ethiopian roots.  

happy friday yall! 

 in case you missed it this week:

I guest posted over on my girl Tara's blog here. 

talking about my No. 41 bag! 

What our January looks like

I was really really excited when Cass asked me to be a part of this little blog circle.  to document our lives with pictures.  every month of the year.  can't wait to look back & see each month what that month looked like.  As you will soon see, I am not afraid to photograph my kids when my house is a mess.  and I have horrible natural light.  or when my kids are unbathed.  when their hair is a mess + they are still in their pjs.  yep.  because that is real life.  and that's what this is all about.  real life.  some of these pictures you've already seen (sorry about that) but some are images I took today.  this is good - this is going to make me bust out my "real camera" aka my DSLR and capture the memories and moments that happen in our house day after day.  We will be making a complete blog circle, so when you're done here, be sure to check out Cass and make your way through the circle until you find your place back here.  That way, you'll know you've made your way through the circle.

last night as I was rocking Asher at midnight, I thought "this is real life".  this is a picture I probably won't ever have, but it's etched in my memory.  those late night rocks as I hold her close and pray over her.  sometimes (like tonight) I wanted to cry as she is being a little stubborn and does not want to sleep, but nevertheless it's a moment and a memory I don't ever want to forget.

January has been cold.  like it snowed.  so we've been spending lots of time inside.  and I absolutely dream of the day it's warm & we can be outside all the time.  but I don't want to fall into the category that "once it's summer" I'll be happy.  I want to be happy and content in the here & now.  even when it's cold & we spend the majority of our days inside in our pjs (yes, even me).  

it snowed the first week of January.

it was such a magical time & was so glad daddy was home to enjoy it with us! 

camp + asher love it when we read.  and our nighttime routine is one of my favorite parts of the day.  although we don't always read them a book, I love it because Stephen is home and we do it together.  we feed em (and usually jam out while we eat), get em all clean & lotioned and in their jammies.  then when we do bottles .  then most every night, not every we sit in their room together and each feed one and we pray.  you see, I am for some reason always an awkward prayer just w/ stephen and so now that the kids are home it's so much easier.  it's the perfect time and we know every night when we are in there together we pray.  it's become one of my most favorite parts of the day.  

eating is always fun.  messy.  and asher started eating cheerios so you know they are all over the floor.  ever since camp got his tubes in his ears he's been such a better eater!  they sit in these chairs facing each other and if I'm feeding em alone I sit in the middle & take turns giving bites.  

we spend a good amount of time in my studio.  it's where I used to meet with photography clients (and maybe one day will again) and have all my noonday samples in there - but now it's just my space for computer time & a little play area for the kids.  I love this picture even though it's poor light b/c this is so asher.  on. the. move. 

this is maybe mean, but it's so funny that camp always wants to play with ashers girly toys.  i'm chalking it up to africa.  there is no gender preference with clothes or toys when they are babies. 

and lastly, reading.  this pic is of Camp + my mentor, Becca.  the one who's katie's mom?  she's like my midland mom.  comes over just right when I need her.  like tonight when Stephen was gone on business and I wanted to pull my hair out.  

anyway, camp is a book man.  seriously, if he's crying - read him a book.  if the book is over - and he cries - get him another book.  this boy is a scholar. i'm just saying. 

finally.  I think this will be a great place for me to put my weekly pics of the kids. 

it was one of our family goals for 2013.  take a picture of them every week to track their progress.  

1.5.13

asher said her first word this week, "baby"

camp started eating much better + getting in crawling position

1.13.13

this picture was right before we took em to church for the first time

alright!  that's all folks. 

stay tuned for what our february looks like

(which will include BIRTHDAYS!) 

All you ever wanted to know about Camp + Asher

well ok, not everything.

just wanted to say thanks for being super supportive of us & loving our family so well.  With two new babes added to our family, we tend to get a lot of questions!  SO... I thought I'd answer some of the questions we get every time we meet someone new!  (and ones that I never have really talked about on the blog!)

(sweet camp already taking care of his little sister!)

What are your kids names?
Camp Abel
why Camp?


Asher Asanti
why Asher? we always loved the name (it's in the greatest book ever written - the Bible) and when we heard her Ethiopian name was Asanti, it just fit.  Seriously, we just looked at each other and almost at the same time said "Asher".  and it was totally from the Lord as Asher means "happy or blessed" and she is just about the happiest kid I know.

Did you keep their Ethiopian names?
Yes and No.
Asher's Ethiopian name was Asanti & we kept it.  It has lots of meanings, but the nannies in Ethiopia told me it means "near to me" and this mommas heart loves that.

Camp's Ethiopian name was Kedir.  At first I loved it, as one of my brothers from Korah is named Kedir, but after spending a summer with him and watching him change his name after he got baptized (Kedir is a muslim name) we decided we didn't want our child to grown up with a muslim name.  SO - we chose Abel.  (pronounced a-bell in Ethiopia, and more like "able" here).  I met a sweet boy in Korah named Abel this summer and later discovered it meant the same thing as Kedir - "capable".  BONUS, my favorite scripture is Ephesians 3:20, "God is ABLE to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine."  (guess, I can cross that tattoo off my list).

How old are they?
Asher is10 months (almost 11) & Camp is 11 months

When are their birthdays? Will you celebrate them together? Did you pick their bdays? 
Ashers is Feburary 24th
Camp's is January 29th
YES we will (at least for the time being) celebrate their birthdays on a mutual date.
and then celebrate them individually as a family on their actual birthday
no, we did not pick the days.  they are days that were estimated by the people in Ethiopia, and we just chose to keep them!

Are they siblings?
well, yes they are!
might not have been born siblings, but they are siblings now.
They've also been together since they were 1 month old in 2 orphanages, the transition home, and now in their joint room at our house.  (blog about their room coming soon!)
yes, they share a room.

Are they sleeping? 
not sure why everyone asks I'm sure every new mother this question, but yes they are sleeping.
they don't usually wake each other up at night, but they often wake each other up during nap time.
thank goodness I have a pack-n-play set up in the guest room in case one of em is getting fussy

What are their personalities like? 
they couldn't be more different.  and I love them both!

Asher for sure is a party waiting to happen.  she has this smile for the camera thing going on, and she makes friends pretty easily.  She is sassy, girly, attention loving and I love her so much.  reminds me of someone else I know :)

Camp is the sweetest.  he's my little music man.  he always has to check every new thing/person out and he looks at you real serious.  but once he knows you, man.  he has the cheesiest smile and he just lights up when I say his name.  he's wise it seems.  always listening or watching everything I put in front of him.  I love him!

Well, that's all I can think of for now.  I'm sure there are more questions - send em to me if you've got em!

Camp + Asher are really passionate about getting other orphans home.  They are totally for adoption fundraisers and especially ones that involve them getting to be a part of it ;)

My friend Melissa created this coloring book called "The ABC's of Coming Home".  It's a journey through the alphabet that introduces things to adopted kids that may be unfamiliar.  Plus, I think it would be fun for bio kids too!  Who doesn't love to color?  Buy yours here & support their Sierra Leone adoption! 

*ps, this weekend I pretty much just recovered from being sick last week, so I'm a little behind on emails and comments.  hope to catch up the next few days! 

Welcome Home Camp + Asher

After a long 31 hour trip, we were so ready to be HOME!
In the adoption world, the "airport party" is something you DREAM about.
being welcomed home by your closest friends + family
everyone showing up with signs and balloons, smiling and crying and ready to meet your new babes.

and THIS party did not disappoint.

my mom & dad waiting upstairs

(we had our immediate family upstairs so they could be the FIRST to meet/see/welcome Camp + Asher)

here we come!

making sure they were real close!

MY FAVE!!!  such a moment to be celebrated!!!!

a highly anticipated moment for me (literally, a moment dreamed about for 2 years!)

all decked out in their shirts!

and with their signs! 

one of my best friends, Allison, has been through ALL the trying-to-start-a-family stuff with me.  

she went through the bad & the ugly so it was so fun to celebrate the GOOD!!

so special!  my other Alison!  so fun to see the joy on my friends faces! 

love this picture for so many reasons.  that's me & my mentor, Becca.  her daughter Katie was the one who "started it all" as we say.  such a special moment!  and LOVE that the kids were the first to run up!  thanks Dustin for this treasured image. 

Sommer recently told me this, "Thank you for the 20+!!! questions K has about your little ones. Thank you for answering so many yourself & for the invaluable lesson she is learning about the words #orphan #redemption and love that I could never teach her without YOUR story. Here is to the incredible gift of making me..us..the Bledsoe's...personally apart if your story! Gloriously ruined!!!"

Holly & I started this process at hte same time in 2010.  We went to the first adoption conference together - the one when God really spoke to Stephen.  SO fun to have our first picture of my Asher & her Moses (although you can't really see his face! ha) 

this hug.  I could cry just thinking about it.  Jenna is my adoption soul sister.  well she's my soul sister, adoption just brought us together.  and this moment.  well, it was long awaited for. 

my accountability.  my bible study girls.  my life long friends.  what started as a "no kids" thing has now become a "new kids" thing.  and I"m so very grateful to experience motherhood with you two.  

family!  stephen's side.

my fam. 

the WHOLE gang.

how humbling is it to have this many of your friends show up to welcome, support and love on your two newest little ones?!?!  

God is ABLE to do immeasurably more than ALL we can ask or imagine!
Ephesians 3:20

All photographs by Mallory Buck for Fotolanthropy.
so thankful & so excited that they came alongside of us and are helping us tell our story.
read more on fotolanthropy blog
and I'll let you know when our FILM is out!
** and read the story & see the images of the day we MET the kids via fotolanthropy**