Because of a boy

If you're joining me today from Noonday's blog train.....welcome!  I'm glad you stopped by.  If you're a regular on our blog, Noonday Ambassadors have been spreading Noonday cheer since the new spring collection launched late February and fellow ambassadors are giving away Noonday Collection items each day.  Today is my turn!

Today is our youngest son's birthday!  He turns 7 and is less than thrilled that on his birthday we may get some snow.  Even after being in the US for 2 1/2 years, snow still ranks high on the things he dislikes most.  I get it.  I'm over winter.  I'm ready for some warmer temps and sunny skies!

After our adoption of Judah, I had this stirring inside that I needed to be doing more.  More to help those that don't have what we do here in America.  Jobs.  Opportunities.  Clean water.  Education.  I had stumbled across Noonday through a blog that I read.  I looked into the company and loved what they stood for.  I let those thoughts simmer in the back of my head for about a year.  And, then I decided it was time to take the plunge and start speaking for those who don't have a voice.

Noonday is based on Isaiah 58:10 "and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."

I view Noonday as a ministry and that's why I decided to become a part of this company.  It is right where God wants me.

What I love most about Noonday is the opportunity to share others stories by wearing their story!  If you see me, you might see me wearing a bracelet made out of upcycled bullets from a war that took place in Ethiopia.  I would tell you that Noonday is able to provide 100's of jobs for women because they are melting down these massive bullets to make necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.  These women who had no hope before coming to Mount Entoto are now able to provide for their families.  They can send their children to school.  They now have access to ARV's.  More of Ethiopia's story is here.

I might also have a scarf on.  I would be able to tell you that the scarf I'm wearing is made by women in Guatemala.  I'd tell you that it is hand woven and uses natural dye to make the beautiful scarves in our collection.  You can read more about Guatemala here.

Or, I might be wearing a necklace made out of tagua seeds by women in Equador.  From seeds the women create beads and use those to make more beautiful one of a kind pieces of jewelry.  You can read about Equador here.

If God had never brought us on the journey of adoption, I might still be sitting around in my own little world, thinking of myself first and foremost.  People like to say that we've done something good by adopting.  While there is some truth to that, I feel more convinced than ever that God used adoption to change ME!  And, even if the road has been hard, I would not want to go back to the person I was four years ago.

You can always purchase online through sarahhartson.noondaycollection.com.  Or, you can help spread Noonday's story through hosting your own show.  It's a great opportunity to get together with friends and learn how we can make a difference in the lives of others.

So, today I have a giveaway of one of my favorite pieces in the Noonday Collection.  It is the Metallic Pearls necklace.  I love it because it is simple.  I love it because it is from Ethiopia.  I love wearing it, praying for the women who made it, and thanking God that because of me wearing their story, these women have hope.

To enter, leave a comment below on your favorite Noonday piece or how God has worked in your life to change you.  One winner will be drawn on Friday, March 28!  Share away!

In honor of our son's birthday, I will donate a portion of my commission to an organization in Ethiopia for purchases made from my site over the next 5 days.  Thanks for stopping by!

Tomorrow, you can keep going with the blog train by visiting here!

Referal-versary

Three years ago today was one of the most special days in my life.  The kids were on Spring Break.  I was getting ready for my sister's wedding that was to take place just 2 days later.  I was sitting in a hair salon getting my haircut.  I didn't hear my phone ring at all.  I went and paid and pulled my phone out of my purse and saw a missed call from our agency.  I thought that was strange because I'd just talked to them a couple of days prior and didn't think there would be any new news.  Then I saw a missed call from Jeremy.  I tried calling him back, but couldn't get in touch with him.  So, I got in the van and started driving to his work and I was calling our agency at the same time.  I heard a voice on the other end and my heart started racing.  I said hello back and then she said, "Sarah, have you talked with Jeremy?"  "No." I answered.  She went on to tell me that there was a little boy they wanted us to consider.  He was 3, turning 4 one week later.  Of course I started to cry.  She went on to tell me a few things and then said to me, "We will send you all of his information via email if you would like to consider him."  By that time I was with Jeremy and I said we'd talk and get back to her.  I looked at Jeremy and we both said, "Of course we want to know more about him."  I called our agency back and they said they'd get everything together and send later that afternoon.  Those few hours of waiting were brutal.  I took the kids to the park to play for awhile and then I headed home while Taylor stayed with them at the park.

Sure enough, an email had come through in that time and I pulled it up, hands shaking.  And then, I saw this face staring back at me:

I cried.  I called Jeremy and told him that this little boy was beautiful.  We talked a little about some of the information that was provided and said we'd talk more when Jeremy came home from work.  

When Jeremy came home we went about our normal tasks of supper, playing with the kids, getting them to bed, etc.  Once they were tucked in, we sat down and talked some more.  We decided to pray about what our answer should be.  The answer was immediate.  We knew he was our son.  

We had some more paperwork to fill out with the acceptance of his referral.  All the while, we kept this a secret from our children.  We thought since he was turning 4 just a few days later, we would announce to the kids on his birthday that they had a new brother.  

So, while everyone celebrates Saint Patty's Day, our family celebrates the gift of our 4th child, our son, Judah Asrat.  I'm so thankful to have spent 3 years staring into those beautiful brown eyes.  God is so good!  Tonight we will be eating delicious Ethiopian food instead of corned beef and cabbage.  :)

And, with the celebration of this day, it is also reminding me we have been waiting a longer amount of time to see our 5th child's face than the time we waited to see Judah's.  While it is so hard to wait, I continue to trust in God and his unfailing love for us.  

Give Me Jesus

It's hard for me to believe, but one year ago at this time, I was studying and praying through a 30 day devotion dedicated specifically to adoption.  During Lent last year Jeremy and I decided it was time for us to really obey God.  We didn't want the desire in our hearts to be ours, but God's.  So, we both took that time during Lent to really examine what we were feeling and decide if it was God or us.  If you know me at all, I question things all the time.  I am always wondering how I know God is speaking to me or if it's my own thoughts that are being pursued.  It's a battle in my head that is not pretty at times.

The first devotion talked about how scripture is clear that God wants us as believers to take the gospel into the world, but that doesn't mean everyone should be a preacher.  The same is true that it is God's calling for us as believers to care for the orphan.  But, the devotion says that sometimes people confuse God's whisper of getting involved with orphan care and think they should adopt and how that can lead to heartbreak.

That statement got the wheels in my head turning.  How do I know if God is telling us to adopt again?  What if we misread what we feel is being laid on our hearts?  I did the only thing I could.  I prayed.  I prayed for God to make it clear to me that our desires were His desires.

I was sitting at the computer doing day 10 of the devotion and Jeremy was in the kitchen.  I just glanced at him and asked if he was feeling anything clear being spoken to him.  He just looked at me and said, "Who are we kidding?  We know this is what God wants.  He took care of us the first time, He'll do it again.  Am I scared?  Yes.  Do I want to follow God?  Yes."  I had such a sense of peace when those words were spoken.  And, normally hearing Jeremy say he's scared about something would send me into "worry mode".  But, it didn't.

We continued on for the rest of Lent praying and seeking.  Easter came and we celebrated our risen King.  I had so many emotions that day.  I cried for what God did for us so many years ago.  I cried for what He was doing in our family.

We entered into April with a sense of relief.  I will tell you I still let the doubt creep in, but continued to trust.  We sent in our formal application April 16, 2013.  While there are times where it seems like just yesterday was spent filling it out, there are other times when I wonder how long we have to go.  Adoption is hard.  But, it is right for our family.

If you've been with us since the beginning, thank you for putting up with us (me!).  Thank you for your prayers.  Thank you for continuing to walk this road with our family.  If you're just joining us, welcome to the ride!  If our story has stirred something in your heart, praise God!  We want Him to receive all the glory for what He has been doing.  

One of my favorite songs is Give Me Jesus.  I want the words of the song to ring true in my life.  It's a daily struggle for me to put Him first.  I allow so many other things to cloud my thoughts, but when I put Him first, it's there that I find peace.

The video is a live performance of one of our favorite artists, Jeremy Camp.  If you listen all the way through, he talks about surrendering to Jesus.  That is where I want to be.

Knit in my Heart

Knitting was something my grandma was very passionate about.  She loved to knit.  And, I loved to watch her.  When I was a little girl I wanted to learn how.  My Grandma Ruth showed me how to make washcloths.  I'm pretty sure I wasn't very good at it, but I loved that I was learning something that she loved to do.

When I grew older and had children, I didn't have the time to knit.  But, shortly after I had Hope I decided I wanted to pick knitting back up again.  I had my Grandma show me all over again how to cast on (I still struggle with it and now my mom has to help me!).  I worked on this blanket in the evenings and it took me several months, but I finished it.  I was quite impressed that I accomplished it.  There were some mistakes along the way and too often, I had to visit my Grandma and ask for help in fixing a mistake I'd made.  To this day, Hope still uses that blanket.  It is quite worn and has holes in it, but it makes my heart happy to see something that I poured myself into be loved by my child.

When we decided to adopt Judah I knew we would not be bringing a baby home.  I knew he would be a toddler or slightly older, but I still wanted him to have his first blanket from his mama.  So, I began to knit.  It was the same simple pattern I used for Hope, only this time the yarn was a beautiful blue instead of a soft lavender.  I spent many nights praying while knitting.  Praying for whatever child was meant to be wrapped up in this blanket.  Many tears were shed, slowly falling from my cheeks as I prayed for a child I'd never met.  Somehow, I still messed up the blanket by dropping a stitch or miss-counting rows.  I'd have to call my mom and tell her I needed help (by this time, my Grandma's hands were too frail to do a lot, but I know she helped me a time or two).  The day Judah came home, I gave him his blanket.  He still sleeps with it today.

Occasionally, Hope and Judah wear their blankets as capes. :)

Again, when we decided to adopt this time, we knew we would not be adopting a baby.  Back in August, before we headed off for vacation I had my mom help me find some yarn and I started another blanket.  Vacation ended, I had some rows done, but still had a very long ways to go.  We needed to fill out more paper work and kids activities kept me busy, but I'd pick up the blanket here and there.

Recently, though, I felt this urge to get it done.  I knit almost every night for a couple of weeks and one Tuesday when no children were home, I just picked the blanket up and knit and knit and knit.  I prayed for our child, I recited a favorite bible verse of mine over and over, stitch by stitch.  Late that evening Jeremy and I were sitting together and I finished it.  It felt so good to have it done.  I showed it to Hope and the first thing she did was put it on as a cape.

When I knit this blanket I thought of the passage in Psalm 139 where it talks about God knitting us in our mother's womb.  While Judah was not knit in my womb, he certainly was knit in my heart.  The same is true for our next child.  There is so much love already in my heart.  Sometimes I feel a physical ache when I think of our child whose face we have not seen.  And, that is the work of God preparing our family, making room in our hearts to love one more.

(Writing this post made me realize how much I miss those times with my Grandma and how she would laugh at having to help me over and over)!  While no two people are alike, neither are any of my blankets.  I know there are mistakes in each one of them, but they are "perfect" in the eyes of my children. :)