Rachelle D. Alspaugh's Blog, page 65
May 10, 2014
Love that social media
Social media can be both a blessing and a curse, all at the same time. After going through a series at church on how technology has changed us, I've been deeply convicted about how much time I spend on social media in front of my children (and other people). Most days I do better, but I confess, sometimes it really has the power to draw me away from the things I should be cherishing the most. God is working on me.
With that being said, I will also be the first to tell you what an incredible tool it can be when used appropriately. Without it, I would likely have never grown so close to Julian after the adoption fell apart the first time. Without our relationship with him, well, let's just say that Juan David would not be a part of our family today.
I love the way that social media has connected me to other Christian writers who inspire me to follow that path. I also love the way that it has connected me with family, aunts, uncles, and cousins that I barely knew growing up because so many miles separated us. I think it's amazing how it helped me reconnect with my host family in Argentina, whom I still love very dearly.
Recently, social media has blessed me by connecting me with other adoptive families specifically adopting from Colombia. I've found other families who walked a road very similar to ours, realizing that our experience was not all that unique, sadly. I've read other blogs of people who have fought a fight like ours for their children and are currently still fighting. I've seen success stories of families who have adopted sibling sets, warming my heart to know that another set of brothers or sisters did not have to split up.
I've watched families who were once strangers rejoice together over recent approvals and referrals. My heart has ached with families who were "stuck" in Colombia for 9-10 weeks (or more) to finish out the adoption, making me grateful for the five weeks our in-country process took a year ago. Colombia is a beautiful place to be, but a stay that long, apart from the rest of your family, living life in limbo with no control over how long you're there, can have quite a negative impact on you mentally, emotionally, and especially financially.
I've encountered many fellow Christians who accept that their whole experience has a purpose, no matter what the outcome. How encouraging to find other people walking that road of faith.
Just yesterday, I met someone from our previous hometown area, Winona Lake, IN, who is in the process of adopting two older girls from Colombia. Our paths never crossed because we moved away before they ever moved there, but we found out that we have mutual friends! Small world.
When used the right way at the right time, social media really can be a blessing!
With that being said, I will also be the first to tell you what an incredible tool it can be when used appropriately. Without it, I would likely have never grown so close to Julian after the adoption fell apart the first time. Without our relationship with him, well, let's just say that Juan David would not be a part of our family today.
I love the way that social media has connected me to other Christian writers who inspire me to follow that path. I also love the way that it has connected me with family, aunts, uncles, and cousins that I barely knew growing up because so many miles separated us. I think it's amazing how it helped me reconnect with my host family in Argentina, whom I still love very dearly.
Recently, social media has blessed me by connecting me with other adoptive families specifically adopting from Colombia. I've found other families who walked a road very similar to ours, realizing that our experience was not all that unique, sadly. I've read other blogs of people who have fought a fight like ours for their children and are currently still fighting. I've seen success stories of families who have adopted sibling sets, warming my heart to know that another set of brothers or sisters did not have to split up.
I've watched families who were once strangers rejoice together over recent approvals and referrals. My heart has ached with families who were "stuck" in Colombia for 9-10 weeks (or more) to finish out the adoption, making me grateful for the five weeks our in-country process took a year ago. Colombia is a beautiful place to be, but a stay that long, apart from the rest of your family, living life in limbo with no control over how long you're there, can have quite a negative impact on you mentally, emotionally, and especially financially.
I've encountered many fellow Christians who accept that their whole experience has a purpose, no matter what the outcome. How encouraging to find other people walking that road of faith.
Just yesterday, I met someone from our previous hometown area, Winona Lake, IN, who is in the process of adopting two older girls from Colombia. Our paths never crossed because we moved away before they ever moved there, but we found out that we have mutual friends! Small world.
When used the right way at the right time, social media really can be a blessing!
May 4, 2014
Just around the corner
This is the first year since 2010 that I have not been making last minute plans and arrangements to spend the month of June in Colombia. I have very mixed feelings, which I share in another post at another time. I miss Julian and Mercedes, but I am thankful to have the chance to recuperate from the last several years.
David is pretty excited about the fact that, rather than head to Colombia the day after school is out, he'll be heading to.....
His first summer camp in Austin, Texas with the "youth group".
Two weeks later, Juan David will be headed off to....
His first summer camp in the U.S., all the way in Colorado! He's both excited and also a bit anxious, about being away from home, being completely immersed in English, etc.
I look forward to the experience for both of them. Two camps is a bit hard on the budget, but it's definitely not as expensive as trying to get back to Colombia this year.
David is pretty excited about the fact that, rather than head to Colombia the day after school is out, he'll be heading to.....
His first summer camp in Austin, Texas with the "youth group".
Two weeks later, Juan David will be headed off to....
His first summer camp in the U.S., all the way in Colorado! He's both excited and also a bit anxious, about being away from home, being completely immersed in English, etc.
I look forward to the experience for both of them. Two camps is a bit hard on the budget, but it's definitely not as expensive as trying to get back to Colombia this year.
April 26, 2014
Gratitude even in the storm
Okay, so I admit, I've been a grouch the last month or so. I don't like complication. I don't like things overlapping on my calendar. I don't like not sleeping well. I don't like it when my hormones get unbalanced. I don't like state testing when it negatively affects my four year olds. I don't like having to keep those four year olds quiet all day for four days out of the month for such state testing when a big part of their curriculum is socialization and learning how to talk and communicate effectively. I don't like it when I hear one too many voices in the hallway outside my classroom that I end up blowing up at absolutely everyone in the hallway.
I don't like filing an extension on my taxes because I don't like being late for anything. I don't like waiting on government paperwork, and I don't like being so flustered that I get behind on my other appointments. I don't like feeling like my weekly ladies' bible study is a burden rather than the joy I've always known it to be. I don't like planning a trip months in advance, only to have two soccer schedules invade all my best laid plans for my boys. I don't like my husband's schedule being different every week because it throws the whole family out of whack, including the crazy dogs. I don't like watching my husband suffer because his truck and all of the belongings inside got stolen by some idiot who set out to hurt any random person who had a truck he wanted.
None of these things are life threatening or even worth my griping (okay, maybe the truck), but when they all add up together, they can put me in a pretty cranky mood. Add hormones to that, and watch out!
However, a friend posted someone else's blog entry on facebook this week, and it helped me put it all back into perspective. Be thankful in all things. Yes, all things. What other choice do we have? (Stop right now and read her post. You won't regret it.
http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/lori-f...
I don't know the author very well, but I've been praying for her. I thought of her this morning on my drive to Fort Worth, and I decided to take her advice. I spent the entire drive just thanking God for everything I could think of, even the hard stuff. She inspired me.
I pulled up in the parking lot at the conference, got out of my car, and found myself greeting none other than that very author. What a blessing to be able to share with her how she had blessed me this morning.
I don't like filing an extension on my taxes because I don't like being late for anything. I don't like waiting on government paperwork, and I don't like being so flustered that I get behind on my other appointments. I don't like feeling like my weekly ladies' bible study is a burden rather than the joy I've always known it to be. I don't like planning a trip months in advance, only to have two soccer schedules invade all my best laid plans for my boys. I don't like my husband's schedule being different every week because it throws the whole family out of whack, including the crazy dogs. I don't like watching my husband suffer because his truck and all of the belongings inside got stolen by some idiot who set out to hurt any random person who had a truck he wanted.
None of these things are life threatening or even worth my griping (okay, maybe the truck), but when they all add up together, they can put me in a pretty cranky mood. Add hormones to that, and watch out!
However, a friend posted someone else's blog entry on facebook this week, and it helped me put it all back into perspective. Be thankful in all things. Yes, all things. What other choice do we have? (Stop right now and read her post. You won't regret it.
http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/lori-f...
I don't know the author very well, but I've been praying for her. I thought of her this morning on my drive to Fort Worth, and I decided to take her advice. I spent the entire drive just thanking God for everything I could think of, even the hard stuff. She inspired me.
I pulled up in the parking lot at the conference, got out of my car, and found myself greeting none other than that very author. What a blessing to be able to share with her how she had blessed me this morning.
Refreshment, Inspiration, and Guidance
It's been a busy, hectic, heavy month. All month I've prayed about being able to go to the Writing for Excellence conference today, but I felt no peace about registering. I felt no peace about letting it go, either. I'm really struggling over how to go about publishing my second book, and I knew I needed some linear guidance. I'm not pleased with the first publisher I used, but I felt overwhelmed at the other options out there. I needed this conference to help me take the right steps.
Thankfully, my husband supports me one hundred percent when it comes to pursuing a writing career, so I finally registered last night (despite all the headaches, schedule issues, and chaos that we've been through this week over the theft of Mike's truck).
I felt blessed almost immediately upon arrival. A fellow writer from my writers' group sat at my table with me, and I connected with her and her husband much more than I realized. Our books have similar themes, and our publishing experiences have been uncannily similar. Just sitting and talking with them all day gave me incredible guidance.
Mary DeMuth never ceases to inspire me, so the entire day refreshed my soul. Besides all the technicalities and information about self-publishing, funding, and marketing, I walked away knowing where to focus my attention, as an existing author and as a growing writer. I want to spend more time getting to know my audience so I can better reach them. It's not about what I want to give them--it's finding out just what it is they want to learn from me.
I wrote our first book with other families in mind who were grieving a failed adoption. Yet I see now that God has used it more as an inspiration of perseverance and faith through whatever life brings us. My second book probably fits more into the second category. (Looks like I need to figure out just who my target audience is before I can strategically find ways to get the book into their hands!) I also learned that figuring out where my true passion lies can truly help fuel my writing in the future. Is my passion to write about caring for the orphan or to write about living by faith? I'll have to ponder that one for awhile.
More than anything, I loved being in a room with a large group of Christian authors, all with one main purpose. Our writing is our ministry. It's how God wants to touch other people through us, through all of our unique stories, passions, and gifts. It's not about money. It's not about sales. It's about touching an audience, one reader at a time. I look forward to possibly attending two more conferences in the summer time.
Thankfully, my husband supports me one hundred percent when it comes to pursuing a writing career, so I finally registered last night (despite all the headaches, schedule issues, and chaos that we've been through this week over the theft of Mike's truck).
I felt blessed almost immediately upon arrival. A fellow writer from my writers' group sat at my table with me, and I connected with her and her husband much more than I realized. Our books have similar themes, and our publishing experiences have been uncannily similar. Just sitting and talking with them all day gave me incredible guidance.
Mary DeMuth never ceases to inspire me, so the entire day refreshed my soul. Besides all the technicalities and information about self-publishing, funding, and marketing, I walked away knowing where to focus my attention, as an existing author and as a growing writer. I want to spend more time getting to know my audience so I can better reach them. It's not about what I want to give them--it's finding out just what it is they want to learn from me.
I wrote our first book with other families in mind who were grieving a failed adoption. Yet I see now that God has used it more as an inspiration of perseverance and faith through whatever life brings us. My second book probably fits more into the second category. (Looks like I need to figure out just who my target audience is before I can strategically find ways to get the book into their hands!) I also learned that figuring out where my true passion lies can truly help fuel my writing in the future. Is my passion to write about caring for the orphan or to write about living by faith? I'll have to ponder that one for awhile.
More than anything, I loved being in a room with a large group of Christian authors, all with one main purpose. Our writing is our ministry. It's how God wants to touch other people through us, through all of our unique stories, passions, and gifts. It's not about money. It's not about sales. It's about touching an audience, one reader at a time. I look forward to possibly attending two more conferences in the summer time.
April 23, 2014
I still miss her
"I just want to see my sister, to know what she looks like now."
Juan David's first response after we got out the cake to celebrate both his brother's and his sister's birthdays. He misses her. To be honest, I still miss her, too.
I remember the day Julian sent me that precious picture of them together. After eight months of silence, eight months to process the fact that I'd never know anything more about them, I made a single plea to God. "Please let me hear from Juan David again somehow, someday." Then out of the blue, Julian says, "My brother wrote you a letter this weekend." He took a picture of it and promised to send it via e-mail. I pestered and pestered him until he sent the picture of the letter. I didn't expect the other pictures he sent with it. Pictures of all three of them, continuing life. The life I had once assumed was supposed to be with me as their Mama.
Though thrilled to see the pictures, I struggled to grasp why God had thrust them back into my life. I wondered if our relationship with Julian might open a door to another chance at her adoption. I put the pictures in frames up on the wall of the "empty" bedroom. They represented hope. Hope that the story wasn't over yet. She and I kept in touch with sweet messages via her brother for several more months. Until they matched her with a new Mama. So happy for her. So heartbreaking for us. For Julian. For Juan David. She skipped right on out of all of our lives, and I grieved her loss again. Four months later, we finally made it to Colombia to begin a two year journey that would unexpectedly give Juan David back to us.
I didn't realize that I'd begun to decorate that room for him by putting those pictures up on the wall. I never imagined that one day, almost four years later, we'd be sitting at the table with him, eating a cake with one of those pictures scanned onto it, celebrating his siblings' birthdays. I never could have fathomed the cute conversations that would later surround that picture. "I want to eat Julian's face." (David). "I want to eat the face of my sister." (Juan David).
It took us almost a week to finish the cake. Those two faces stared back at us every night at dessert time, until we finally cut through the picture to finish off the cake. I dreamed about her that night. I wonder where she is, how she's doing, and, like Juan David's comment, what she might look like today. Though I have total peace about her, I miss her. Having her brother here, knowing how much he misses her, makes me miss her even more.
Juan David's first response after we got out the cake to celebrate both his brother's and his sister's birthdays. He misses her. To be honest, I still miss her, too.
I remember the day Julian sent me that precious picture of them together. After eight months of silence, eight months to process the fact that I'd never know anything more about them, I made a single plea to God. "Please let me hear from Juan David again somehow, someday." Then out of the blue, Julian says, "My brother wrote you a letter this weekend." He took a picture of it and promised to send it via e-mail. I pestered and pestered him until he sent the picture of the letter. I didn't expect the other pictures he sent with it. Pictures of all three of them, continuing life. The life I had once assumed was supposed to be with me as their Mama.
Though thrilled to see the pictures, I struggled to grasp why God had thrust them back into my life. I wondered if our relationship with Julian might open a door to another chance at her adoption. I put the pictures in frames up on the wall of the "empty" bedroom. They represented hope. Hope that the story wasn't over yet. She and I kept in touch with sweet messages via her brother for several more months. Until they matched her with a new Mama. So happy for her. So heartbreaking for us. For Julian. For Juan David. She skipped right on out of all of our lives, and I grieved her loss again. Four months later, we finally made it to Colombia to begin a two year journey that would unexpectedly give Juan David back to us.
I didn't realize that I'd begun to decorate that room for him by putting those pictures up on the wall. I never imagined that one day, almost four years later, we'd be sitting at the table with him, eating a cake with one of those pictures scanned onto it, celebrating his siblings' birthdays. I never could have fathomed the cute conversations that would later surround that picture. "I want to eat Julian's face." (David). "I want to eat the face of my sister." (Juan David).
It took us almost a week to finish the cake. Those two faces stared back at us every night at dessert time, until we finally cut through the picture to finish off the cake. I dreamed about her that night. I wonder where she is, how she's doing, and, like Juan David's comment, what she might look like today. Though I have total peace about her, I miss her. Having her brother here, knowing how much he misses her, makes me miss her even more.
April 20, 2014
First Easter weekend
Our first Easter weekend as a family with Juan David consisted of a Christian movie marathon. On Friday, I gave both the boys their favorite Christian movies. David got Courageous, and Juan David got the Passion of the Christ. The boys sat and watched Courageous together on Friday afternoon, followed by Fireproof (a movie we already had).
In the late evening, we all sat down together as a family to watch The Passion of the Christ. Juan David thanked me for selecting that movie for him because he said that they watched it in Colombia every year on Good Friday. It sure is a hard movie to watch, though, the hard reminder it is of just how much Christ suffered for us. This verse kept replaying over and over in my head throughout the movie, "For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross.....". Sometimes I think we don't want to admit just how much he actually endured.
We attended our Easter service on Saturday night, along with my brother and his family. How cool to watch a service broadcast straight from Jerusalem, from locations that may have been where Jesus actually spent those last hours of his life before the crucifixion. It should be available online sometime this week if you'd like to see it. (http://www.lakepointe.org/Message/Mes...)
This morning we went as a family to see the movie Heaven is for Real. That movie (book, actually) will always be extra meaningful to me because my own son suffered very similar symptoms last summer in Colombia, and we wondered if he'd be taken into emergency surgery to have his appendix removed. When I read the book, I completely connected with the father in the story as he beat himself up over not taking his son's symptoms seriously enough.
I love our movie marathon reminded us of what really matters in life, then reminded us of how much Christ truly sacrificed for us, and then put our focus on Heaven, where Jesus stands today. The reality of our faith. We don't serve a dead God. Christ is risen!
Happy Easter, everyone! We're off to finish our weekend with family again and then with our small group (who might as well be family, too!)
In the late evening, we all sat down together as a family to watch The Passion of the Christ. Juan David thanked me for selecting that movie for him because he said that they watched it in Colombia every year on Good Friday. It sure is a hard movie to watch, though, the hard reminder it is of just how much Christ suffered for us. This verse kept replaying over and over in my head throughout the movie, "For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross.....". Sometimes I think we don't want to admit just how much he actually endured.
We attended our Easter service on Saturday night, along with my brother and his family. How cool to watch a service broadcast straight from Jerusalem, from locations that may have been where Jesus actually spent those last hours of his life before the crucifixion. It should be available online sometime this week if you'd like to see it. (http://www.lakepointe.org/Message/Mes...)
This morning we went as a family to see the movie Heaven is for Real. That movie (book, actually) will always be extra meaningful to me because my own son suffered very similar symptoms last summer in Colombia, and we wondered if he'd be taken into emergency surgery to have his appendix removed. When I read the book, I completely connected with the father in the story as he beat himself up over not taking his son's symptoms seriously enough.
I love our movie marathon reminded us of what really matters in life, then reminded us of how much Christ truly sacrificed for us, and then put our focus on Heaven, where Jesus stands today. The reality of our faith. We don't serve a dead God. Christ is risen!
Happy Easter, everyone! We're off to finish our weekend with family again and then with our small group (who might as well be family, too!)
April 19, 2014
April 17, 2014
My Photo Book
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Thursday, April 17th
Two o'clock a.m. There aren't many occasions where you might welcome a phone call from the police at two in the morning. Despite being woken up, it sure felt good to hear that the truck had been found, amidst other stolen trucks. We know very little at this point as to how or exactly when it was found, who they arrested, or even what shape it's in. Nor do we know if they've recovered any of the contents that went missing, either. The truck has been shuffled between the police, the impound, and the insurance company, so we haven't even seen it yet. But at least we're not stuck wondering where it might be, with who, and why?
I'm pretty doggone exhausted, though. Too many late nights. (I'm a morning person, not a night owl). Too much going on in too short of a period of time. A little too much stress. I haven't even made it to the grocery store this week yet!
I look forward to a restful Easter weekend, with no soccer games, no trips, no big social events, etc. There's a reason God calls us to seasons of rest. I am hoping that He will call me to enter one soon. I am craving a few long, quiet mornings around here, and I know the boys are craving a few long mornings to sleep in after their weekend running all over everywhere while we were gone (It truly took a village to accommodate them for just three short days, but that's for another post, another time.)
Goodnight, all.
I'm pretty doggone exhausted, though. Too many late nights. (I'm a morning person, not a night owl). Too much going on in too short of a period of time. A little too much stress. I haven't even made it to the grocery store this week yet!
I look forward to a restful Easter weekend, with no soccer games, no trips, no big social events, etc. There's a reason God calls us to seasons of rest. I am hoping that He will call me to enter one soon. I am craving a few long, quiet mornings around here, and I know the boys are craving a few long mornings to sleep in after their weekend running all over everywhere while we were gone (It truly took a village to accommodate them for just three short days, but that's for another post, another time.)
Goodnight, all.
Wednesday, April 16th
So, we just wished Julian a happy 21st birthday on Monday, but their little sister who never came home to us will celebrate her 12th birthday on Friday, the 18th. That made two "family" birthdays in a week, one on Monday and one on Friday. Those two will always have our hearts and they will always be a part of Juan David, so we decided to celebrate at home. We scanned a picture of both of them together and had a special cake made for both of them. Mike took the picture in to work Wednesday morning and planned to bring it home when he got off work in the early afternoon.
The cake turned out beautiful, and Mike said it made him feel really good about our plans to celebrate at dinner. He walked out of SAM's Club with the cake in the buggy only to find that his truck had completely disappeared. A big red truck, F350, successfully stolen right out of the parking lot in broad daylight. He ended up pulling up video from the club and watched just how easily those thieves broke into his truck and actually drove away with it. 44 seconds. It only took 44 seconds to steal a big, red truck out of a busy parking lot right at lunch time!
More than the thought of the truck being gone, the thought of all the stuff that Mike had inside it and in the toolbox just made us sick. The one positive we kept thanking God for was the fact that if Juan David's social security card had come, Mike likely would have had all of our tax paperwork in the truck to take to the accountant (including ALL of our adoption receipts and expenses, many of which cannot be replaced). Thank God it's all still locked in a safe, waiting on that social security card.
Mike spent all day and evening talking to the police and the insurance. We still had our birthday celebration at dinnertime, although the mood had dampened quite a bit due to the circumstances. Juan David thought the cake was beautiful, though, and he expressed how much he wished he could just see his sister and know what she looks like now. I have faith that someday they'll all find each other.
While the boys and I went to church and Bible study that evening, a close friend brought over a vehicle for us to borrow until we had another way to get around. So thankful to have such great friends in times of need.
The cake turned out beautiful, and Mike said it made him feel really good about our plans to celebrate at dinner. He walked out of SAM's Club with the cake in the buggy only to find that his truck had completely disappeared. A big red truck, F350, successfully stolen right out of the parking lot in broad daylight. He ended up pulling up video from the club and watched just how easily those thieves broke into his truck and actually drove away with it. 44 seconds. It only took 44 seconds to steal a big, red truck out of a busy parking lot right at lunch time!
More than the thought of the truck being gone, the thought of all the stuff that Mike had inside it and in the toolbox just made us sick. The one positive we kept thanking God for was the fact that if Juan David's social security card had come, Mike likely would have had all of our tax paperwork in the truck to take to the accountant (including ALL of our adoption receipts and expenses, many of which cannot be replaced). Thank God it's all still locked in a safe, waiting on that social security card.
Mike spent all day and evening talking to the police and the insurance. We still had our birthday celebration at dinnertime, although the mood had dampened quite a bit due to the circumstances. Juan David thought the cake was beautiful, though, and he expressed how much he wished he could just see his sister and know what she looks like now. I have faith that someday they'll all find each other.
While the boys and I went to church and Bible study that evening, a close friend brought over a vehicle for us to borrow until we had another way to get around. So thankful to have such great friends in times of need.
