Play-Doh

On Day 10 of Mommy and H's Wild Adventures, we finally broke out the Play-Doh. The mess was big, but it did buy me quite a bit of time. The kitchen floor needs swept anyway, I said to myself.

H has been such fun. He often just stops what he's doing and says, "Mommy, me wuv you."

And after that, I can't quite find it in me to correct his grammar.

Approval and First Day of School

We are so excited to announce that this morning we received our approval from the Rwandan government to adopt a Rwandan child! We also sent three kids off to elementary school this morning, one in each wing of the school. We are praying they will shine the light of Christ's love in each wing of that building! It's a wonderfully joyful day at the Spore house. We could possibly be traveling to Rwanda around Thanksgiving time. Stay tuned.....

What's Worse?

Blogging About Nothing or Not Blogging About Something? Since we haven't had anything to report on the adoption front, I've been hesitant to post. I keep thinking, "Surely this week will be the week we'll hear of our approval. I'll just wait to post until then." Lest we all look back at this waiting time and think we did absolutely nothing but wait, I guess I should document some of the last month and a half's events.

Papa Randy and C taking a break from fishing

Aunt Meg and Uncle TJ, the fishing dynamic duo

The Spore Four

Spore and Bailey Carriage Ride

We've had birthdays for Chad and H, a trip to our favorite vacation spot, Backbone State Park, our 13th anniversary, my Mom and Dad's 40th Wedding Anniversary, a trip to KC for little Alea's first birthday party, Vacation Bible School, the beginning of football for C, and back to school shopping. Phew...(gotta love those run-on sentences).

With school starting Thursday, I'm realizing how much our lives are going to change. Our little C will go to kindergarten this year! She is so ready, and I know she will enjoy her days immensely. It is little H and I that will have some major adjustments to make. We are going to miss her (and the two bigs) so much! I'm not sure I even know how to fix lunch for just one kid. With whom will he play while I make beds, take my shower, and do laundry and dishes? Does this mean I'm really going to have to get the Play-Doh out more than once a month?

Blessed Beyond Measure

Chad and I experienced a blessing beyond measure this morning at church. We knew our little Church of Promise family had been receiving love offerings for our family during the month of June. We knew that our little Church of Promise family has a heart for our family's mission. We knew that they love us. We had no idea that God would use our little Church of Promise family to present us with well over $2000 at church this morning for our adoption! Praise God for this family. We are blessed.

Another blessing has been the arrival of our fundraising t-shirts. The Braner family adopted beautiful Gabby from Rwanda and are in the process of bringing home Jean de Dieu from Rwanda. Because of their deep desire to help place orphans in forever families, they have come alongside our family to help us design and sell t-shirts to raise funds for our adoption. We feel incredibly blessed to have them selling our shirts at Kamp Kanakuk Colorado and facilitating internet sales through annidesigns.com .The shirts have a map of Africa with the word "Ibyiringiro" (the word for "hope" in Kinyarwanda) across it. Many thanks to those who have already purchased shirts!

The blessing of living in the United States of America has not been far from our minds this weekend. We enjoyed time with Gram and Papa and lots of friends. We rode rides, watched and participated in parades, entered a bar baking contest, watched fireworks, and ate lots of good food. We worshipped God freely with our church family this morning. We were challenged to pray for our country and to do the tasks to which God calls us. We have truly been blessed beyond measure.

Ah, June

A couple leftovers from Memorial Day:


"Oh, Papa, could we just throw one rock into your pond?"

The Ultimate Frisbee players: Brian, Kevin, T.J., Chad, Megan, and Ellen

H's tenth birthday party included the Birkland cousins, Gram and Papa, Grandma Wee, Gammy and Papa, Nana and Papa, Aunt Meg, Uncle Brian, and Aunt Ellen. Aunt Meg sent the kids on a treasure hunt.

The Spore family's Fifth Annual Last Day of School Breakfast on the Deck

Happy Father's Day to the Wrangler of the Bathtub Bandits. Love you, Honey!

H turns ten! I think that officially makes us old.

June is my favorite month of the year. With the end of school, ripe strawberries in Nana's patch, birthdays, Father's Day, ballgames, and swim meets, we have stayed busy...... a good kind of busy. It's the kind of busy that acts like an epidural for the labor pains of international adoption.:)

We would love to hear something from the Ministry in Rwanda this week, giving us official approval to adopt one or two of their country's treasures. At that point, we will know that our paperwork has been sent to an orphanage where they will match a child or children with our family. Please pray for favor for the Spore family in the eyes of the Ministry and for our child/ren in Rwanda ....for their safety and that someone would be loving on them tonight.

Memorial Day Very Much Belated

These pictures are from our Bradfield family get-together over Memorial Day. The Pennsylvania Baileys came, too!


Micah, Ethan, Jack, and Kayley were the sandbox kids.

C, Jared, C, and H were the pool cousins (in extremely cold water!).

Papa had fun pulling his "train".

All the cousins minus Baby Jenna. In the next few months, the Baileys will add one (Natalie Kate) and the Spores will add one or two to this bunch (wish we knew:).

Beautiful Baby Jenna and C

Spore Adoption Fundraiser

During our adoption process we have been so blessed to have the support of our families and our church. Last weekend Chad's sister, a professional photographer from Kansas City, came to Iowa to do a photography fundraiser for us. She charged her regular sitting fee, took photos of eight families from our church and community, and gave us the sitting fees to go toward adoption expenses. Her generosity and the generosity of the families who were photographed overwhelmed us, humbled us, and will probably pay for our child's flight home from Rwanda! Heather hopes to have a sneak peek at some of the photos by June 15, so keep checking http://heathernelsonphotography.wordpress.com/

Yesterday, Chad and I visited an occupational health clinic to get started on our travel vaccinations. We took the two boys along and left the girls with my friend, Suzanne. (Have I mentioned how blessed I am by her friendship?) It was a long appointment, and trying to decide which shots to get and which to decline was difficult. We decided on Tetanus for me (Chad was current), Hep. A for both of us, a polio booster for both of us (have to go back for that one), and Yellow Fever (required to enter Rwanda). My arm is sore today, and we both felt a little junky yesterday, but we're doing well today. Typhoid pills will have to be started soon....and I'm dreading it. A fairly large percentage of people get really sick to their stomachs after taking them.

I'm enjoying having all the kids home for the summer. We are staying busy with softball, baseball, swimming, swim-team, and staying in our jammies until 10:00. And, since it's 9:52 and Hayden and I aren't dressed, I'll sign off.:)