Our Adoption Journey

So this month I have been asking friends and family how they can help us get the word out that we are trying to adopt. Some have chosen to use Facebook or Myspace, others have suggested using a blog, and others have asked for a copy of our physical profile to send to their relatives who live out of state. Cameron and I want to thank you all so much for helping us as we continue down this path. If you have any ideas of how to help us, please post and let us know! These ideas could be you telling us what you are/could be doing to help us, suggesting what others could do to help us or ideas that have helped others who have gone down the adoption path.

Just to update people a little, we are working through LDS Family Services. Any potential birth parents can work through them also, and it's free for them. LDS Family Services suggests that we have our profile out there for others to see on another website so we do have it on a free adoption website along with our profile on itsaboutlove (the Family Services Adoption Website). Here are links to both if you'd like to take a look.

http://www.myadoptionprofile.com/id=304
https://itsaboutlove.org/ial/profiles/23013464/ourMessage.jsf

We also have our profile with a charity organization that is trying to stop baby abandonment. They are called Project Cuddle. Feel free to google them and find out more! They are not an adoption agency, so their birth parents can work through an adoption agency or find a lawyer. We suggested that they work through the free services of LDS Family Services.

We have given a copy of our profile to Arlin, Cameron's best friend in Colorado. He works across the street from a Catholic charity that is a pregnancy care center trying to educate women on alternatives besides abortion. We haven't heard back yet, but if they choose to consider us, we will post their website so that you can check them out as well. If we receive a baby through either one, we plan on giving info. on how to donate and/or what we can donate to these charities to show them our thanks. I'm sure they would appreciate any donation regardless of size or amount.

Here's my thank you's to all those who have helped so far: I want to thank Jamie Coe for getting word out there on her facebook as soon as I told her we were approved to adopt. Susie Holley took two copies of our physical profiles and sent them to extended family in different states, thank you! Thank you Arlin for being willing to get the word out to doctors. I want to thank my sister Katie for putting us on her "wall" on her facebook as well. Teresa Glad, Wendi Baggaley, my sister Lori, my sister-in-laws Jillayne and Allison, Wendi Christensen, and Jennifer Peterson for accepting a copy of our e-profile to forward to others and info. for blogs. And thanks to my Aunt Penni, who was the first to reply to my email asking for help and for reminding me that God knows the baby we will receive. Thank you to those who went to the temple with our future birthparents in mind and for those who joined us in our fast.

Thanks for all your support and prayers!

Family happenings

Cameron and I have been looking at vinyl fences. After living here for 9 years I guess we think we are permanent enough to get one! We have another choir number coming up this Sunday. I am excited to see how it turns out. Marissa and the Activity Day girls her age are now doing a fund raiser for a sister in our congregation that needs hip replacement surgery. She is also back in school and loving it! She also loves the "new" swing set that her grandparents gave us. She also loves that the Stake President said we should start paying our children for babysitting now so that they can pay their tithing. Thomas is also loving school. He also received 2 awards at the last Cub Scout Pack Meeting. At next week's Pack Meeting he will be receiving his Wolf! David is adapting to 1st grade and his teacher loves him. I expect things will still be changing for him since he didn't really get any homework this first week. Michael handled the first day of them gone. The second day we were walking home from the school and didn't even make it to the mailbox before Michael asked where Thomas was. When I told him that Thomas was at school, he said, we need to go back and get him. He is doing great on learning his colors and knows the names of the shapes now...not quite able to match the names with the right shapes yet....

Patriotism: Second Principle

The second principle discusses why the Founding Fathers knew virture and moral strength were vital to the existence of a Republic and it's Constitution: without them the republic would crumble. Why would it crumble? Benjamin Franklin answers this question: "Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom." (Smyth, Writings of Benjamin Franklin, 9:569. See also TFYL p. 49.) Our American predecessors looked to virture in the people as especially unique and wonderful because those who possessed it were of solid integrity. They didn't just believe in "do unto others as you would have them do unto you", they lived it. But they also understood why they should live this principle. George Washington was clear about how vital moral strength was to the safety of our Constitution and government and I think he felt that it's protection would be guaranteed "so long as there [should] remain any virtue in the body of the people." (Saul K. Padover, ed., The Washington Papers [New York: Harper & Brothers, 1955], p. 244. See also TFYL p. 50)

Samuel Adams advised us well when he said, "I thank God that I have lived to see my country independent and free. She may long enjoy her independence and freedom if she will. It depends on her virtue. (Wells, Life of Samuel Adams, 3:175. See also TFYL p. 56) Our inheritance from our predecessors can be learned and passed on to our children, reinstating the virtue of our people. A virtuous people are committed to peace and exercise the ability to maintain it through their strength. Our country's strength is decreased by immorality whether physical, financial, emotional, acts of commission or by omission. Our strength is therefore increased by the level of morality our populace chooses to live. Creating moral plans, implementing them, and reviewing them according to changing circumstances will bring our country's economy, safety and emotional well-being back to where it was. Samuel Adams: "It is the business of America to take care if herself; her situation; as you justly observe, depends upon her own virtue." (Ibid., 1:376, see also TFYL p. 265.)

This leads to another point that Samuel Adams made: "But neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt. He therefore is the truest friend to the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue, and who, so far as his power and influence extend, will not suffer a man to be chosen into any office of power and trust who is not a wise and virtuous man." (Ibid., p. 22, see also TFYL p. 59.) Virtuous, experienced leaders are the obvious choice--how can they be found from within a people that has degraded it's society? We are experiencing a disheartening trend as those who are virtuous and experienced in politics succumb to the immoral practices of politicians today. Doing our public duty can be fulfilling, rewarding and miraculous...it can also be heart-wrenching, frustrating and full of disappointment. If that were your job description, you may think twice about committing to it...but if you were virtuous enough to stand up for the truth when it was unpopular or "unproductive" (ie: bending the rule got it done faster) or even not as "profitable" (money is important, so is the general welfare of our people) as what others would push for, you could be trusted with the ability to ..."guard the sacred deposit of the rights and liberties of [your] fellow citizens;...." (Ibid., 2:221; see also TFYL p. 62.)

Lastly we address the question: How can we regain these qualities in our people so we can raise up leaders of the strength and caliber of those who came before us?

The answer is in the question: Study the lives of our leaders who came before us and learn of their strengths, education and virtues.

Believe in the truth they believed in.

Family news

Cameron is going to take a CD course to gain new skills and have even more opportunities to help out at work. Sara is making scones for the first time tomorrow. Marissa will be going to the post office the next day to help ship off toys and school supplies to Afghanistan. Thomas is excited to go to his cousin's baptism on Saturday. David has been sharing all of his birthday toys without being asked, he's great! Michael is doing well complimenting others during Family Home Evening, which we had last night.

Christian Quote for the day (or until I get another one done)

God's law provides a security which is designed to provide a high degree of freedom from fear and therefore a high degree of freedom to act. (My motto for the day with help from W. Cleon Skousen)