AMAZING SURPRISES!!!

It has been a while since my last post.  I did this purposefully because I was waiting on some news to share with everyone!!! We have just been blown away by God's faithfulness!!

The paperwork process takes quite a while to complete before there is even any news about our new little boy God is bringing to our family.  We pray for him daily and cannot WAIT until God shows us who he is.  Undoubtedly he is a very precious boy!! :) Until then....our goal in our postings is three fold.

1.  To keep our family and friends updated on the process so you can all be praying for specific needs.

2.  To give God glory for each and every thing HE does through this process...no matter how little or big. There is power in the word of our testimony and we ALWAYS want to be faithful to share all He does for us!!

3.  To document this process so those that may be considering adoption will see all that it entails. We want to encourage others to step out and know...it's not too overwhelming to step out and do.

With that said....here are our latest most exciting updates!!! There are two extra special things we are SO EXCITED to share!!

HOME STUDY #1 - Complete
We completed our first home study last week.  We enjoyed visiting with our social worker and sharing the answers to the questions that is on our hearts!! She also checked out our home to make sure it was a good environment to bring in another child!! She also interviewed Sophie and Mark's parents. Not a bad visit at all!! We have 3 more visits to go!

MEDICALS COMPLETE:
We got our medical check ups complete! Went well.  Our tests came out good, Praise God!! (Aside from Mark REALLY needs to get his eyes checked out! LOL!) Jack and Peggy got their medicals done as well!! We'll have those back soon!!  Thank you all for praying!!

GOD'S PROVISION:
He STILL never ceases to amaze us in this process of provision.  Thank you again to you ALL who have purchased bracelets from us and who have donated to our adoption fund. Since my last post....we have had $1100 more been given towards our adoption expenses.  We are BLOWN AWAY!! Thank you all dearly for your hearts to help change the life of this precious little boy!!

OUR SURPRISE PROVISION: 
ANOTHER amazing thing...that I was waiting to tell you is news that we got from our social worker that just really overwhelmed us and once again helped us see this 2nd adoption has been in God's plan the whole time!! When we had our home study with our social worker...She told us that we still had money left in our account at Lifeline from when we adopted Sadie FIVE YEARS AGO!!! We still have $1800 - EIGHTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS!!!! left in our account from when our adoption was complete last time.  WOW!!! That money was left over from the grant we received from Shaohannah's Hope (Stephen Curtis Chapmans adoption grant foundation).  Y'all...do you just know how unbelievable this is!?!? That money has been sitting there for five years...just waiting on us. We praise God with all that is in us for this.  Just a testimony of HIS faithfulness.  When HE gives the vision to do something...He has the plan for the provision!! We thank you ALL from the bottom of our hearts for being used by HIM for His master plan in our lives and in the life of our new little boy!! Isn't this so exciting!!!

A SNEAK PEEK:
Thank you all SO MUCH for praying for our friend Stephanie Presley as she works on the artwork for our children's book we will be selling this fall to help us raise funds! She sent us her first piece for the book and we are SO EXCITED!!! She has done an amazing job with it. What a special artist she is!!  Its not 100% complete yet as she will be tweaking this a bit....but we were SO EXCITED to show you all.  Let us know what you think!!

Stephanie is a HUGE blessing!! She is donating all her time and energy into this artwork for this book!! We think she is doing an AMAZING JOB!!! We are praying and believing this process will be a blessing for her too!! If you get a chance...drop by her Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/stephanie.presley1 and leave her a note of encouragement! (You don't have to be friends with her to leave her a message!! Just send her a private message!!)  I know she would be SO BLESSED to hear from you!! It would mean SO MUCH to their family to know so many people are praying for them!! As I stated before...They live in the United Kingdom ~ Wales as missionaries.  We are so blessed to call them friends!!

We are continuing to pray for her as she continues to pray through the artwork and complete it for the book!! We know God will use every stroke she makes to make this artwork amazing!! It will be truly inspired by HIM!! We are very excited about this and couldn't wait to share it with you!!

ONE MORE THANKS!
We will keep you all posted as we get more info and as more things happen.  We are just thrilled to be on this journey and that we are able to share it with each one of you.  If you have ANY QUESTIONS...please let us know.  We LOVE to share about our process and would love to talk to any of you!! Love you all dearly!! Thank you again for your prayers and support.  You will NEVER KNOW how much it means to us!! We love you all dearly!! Have a wonderful week!
Blessings,
Mark & Buffi

Paperwork and Progress!!!

This week we have been diligently working through paperwork and getting everything checked off of our check lists so we can complete our home study.  Here is what we've done in the last week:

1.  We have completed our physicals at the doc (should get tests results back today).  Mark's parents have to complete this as well.  PRAYER NEED: Pray that all our physicals would come back good and there would be no hold up or delay with them...and that our insurance will cover the tests that are required on these physicals.  Some of them like the TB test and the HIV tests aren't usually covered through routine visits.  But...we're believing they will be!!

2.  We have filled out our CA/N reports (child abuse and neglect forms) for each state we've lived in since we were 18 years old. Mark's parents had to do this as well.  Between the 4 of us there are 5 states that we had to send CA/N forms to.  We were told it could take anywhere from 6 weeks to 4 months to get these back..YIKES!! PRAYER NEED: Please pray that these would NOT take very long to get back.  We are believing that it will only take the minimum of 6 weeks!! We'll keep you posted!!

3. We have our first home study visit this coming Tuesday.  Honestly...doing the home study visits were our favorite thing to do last time.  We really look forward to this portion of it.

4.  We've noticed this last week that as we are going through this process that it is causing Sadie to think a lot about her being adopted and exactly what all that means.  While we have been very open with her about it...she is just beginning to really understand it.  PRAYER NEED: Pray that God gives us wisdom to help her with her questions that she has regarding it....and that He helps her process it in her 7 year old mind.  We have begun to read the book "The Connected Child" - it is required reading for the adoption process.  (For all you adoptive parents out there...this is a wonderful book!! I totally recommend it!!) This is wonderful timing for us to read this because it is helping us help Sadie through this process!! Thanks for your continued prayers as we walk her through this discovery process.

5.  We have a PRAISE report!!! Yes...stepping out in adoption is definitely a step of faith...especially financially.  But we just had to give God glory for his provision over the last week. We currently have $2600 due this week for the beginning of our home study.  God's timing is so perfect!! Just this week, we received a $500 check in the mail from a family in Birmingham, we counted up all our change and had over $60 worth of change, AND through our bracelet sales so far...we have raised over $350 toward our costs! (Thank you to ALL of you for helping with our bracelet fund raiser!! We still have more and would love to sell more!!) With that said...God has helped us raise over $900 in a week to go toward our $2600!!! That is HUGE!!!   THANK YOU ALL for praying and for your support!!! PRAYER NEED: Please continue to pray for God's provision each step of the way!! We KNOW HE will provide!! He owns it all anyway!!

This has already gotten longer than I planned!! I just wanted to give you all an update for this week!! Please let us know if you have any questions. Thank you all again for your prayers of love and support! They mean SO MUCH to us!! Love you guys!! We'll keep you posted on whats going on!! Blessings!
Mark & Buffi

Our Bracelets Are Here!!

We are SO EXCITED!!! Our Bracelets finally came in today and we LOVE THEM!!! We have two different ones.

1.  "I Support Adoption" (purple & blue)
2.  "What if...I Say Yes?!" (teal & yellow)  - This statement means... "What if i say yes to what God has placed on my heart to do?!?  (It could be anything.) For us...it is adoption...but whatever it is that is on YOUR heart...say YES to God and step out and obey...no matter what!! "

We plan to use these to help us raise funds to go toward our adoption expenses.  We would love to receive a $5 donation for each bracelet.  If you would like to donate $5 toward the adoption of our precious little boy from China....you can mail your donation to our address at P.O. Box 306, Capshaw, AL 35742 or email us at markandbuffi@gmail.com and we will make sure to connect with you to give you one! We can mail as many of them to you as you would like.  Just let us know and we will make sure and get them to you!

We are also looking for 100 people that would be willing to help us sell 10 of these bracelets each.  If only 100 of us took 10 and got donations of at least $5 each...that would at least be $5000!! What a blessing that would be!! We would LOVE it if you would like to help us in this way! But getting even one is a HUGE blessing!! We are just grateful for anything you could do!!!

Thanks for helping us spread the word...not only about supporting this adoption but also about supporting adoptions in general!! If you have questions...let us know!! We are so excited to share these cute bracelets with everyone! We are praising God for HIS creative ideas and ways for bringing our little boy home!! Have a WONDERFUL weekend!! We look forward to hearing from you!
Blessings,
Mark & Buffi

God is SO FAITHFUL!!

Well....this week we have heard from our social worker to get things rolling!! We are very excited about that.  She told us that at Lifeline they had been praying for families to step up and adopt little boys...especially in the age range we are looking at 4-7.  Which that is just another blessing and confirmation for us to hear.  She said there were so many little boys that get overlooked because most people want to adopt the girls.  Honestly...I did not realize there were so many boys that were needing adopting there...I thought it was mostly girls.  We learn new things all the time!! :)
We also found out from our social worker we can begin to do our fingerprints and begin the Home Study process with  DHR.  This time around because Mark's parents live on our property...they have to participate in the background checks with DHR and the ABI and FBI fingerprinting.  It makes sense...but we didn't even think how our living situation would make things slightly different this time around!
GOD'S PROVISION
I am most excited to share with you all the awesome things God is doing to provide!  We were SO BLESSED by a lady at church on Sunday.  She came up to us with such joy in her heart and gave us money that she had set aside to go toward bringing our little boy home.  You will NEVER KNOW how much every single dime is cherished and a testimony of God's faithfulness!! It is such a blessing!! Thank you SO MUCH!!
Some more amazing news that we got this last week! My Aunt, who we all call Cha Cha, is SUCH a blessing as well!! She is SO GOOD at coming up with fundraising ideas and stuff.  She has helped us raise a portion of our first $2600 due NOW!! I was So blown away!! God is faithful once again.  When HE sets forth a vision...HE also sets forth the provision.  I just HAD to share that because it is such a testimony of the awesome things God can do!! BTW....my aunt does awesome Easter Baskets...so if you'd like to pre-order some for your kiddos...let me know! She can do them at any price for you!! They're awesome!
DIVINE APPOINTMENTS
For almost 4 years we have been trying to get a story illustrated that was given to Buffi from the Lord.  It is basically Sadie's adoption story and it is a beautiful story that would make a wonderful children's book.  Through the years we have tossed around several ideas of things we could do with the book but it just never surfaced and nothing ever came of it.  (Not even thinking God may use it to help us with our 2nd adoption!!) Anyway...I am honored and SO BLESSED that our friend Stephanie Presley said she feels like illustrating the book is something she would like to do to help with our adoption.  Stephanie and Todd are missionaries in Wales and have an amazing ministry themselves there. 

 It just blessed my heart that she would be open to take the time to illustrate this story.  I KNOW that just like the words of this sweet story are God breathed...these illustrations will be as well!! Pray for her as she starts these pictures that God will inspire her and so that it will be exactly as He wants. And while you're praying for her...pray for their family as they minister in Wales!!   I know they would truly appreciate it!!
We believe once this book is complete...it will be a blessing to ANY family who has adopted, who wants to adopt, or who loves to read to their children or grandchildren precious fairy tales!! We hope to get it finished and ready to sell to help us raise funds for our adoption.  Please be in prayer for this.  We will keep you updated on the progress and would LOVE IT if you would like to purchase one when it's completed!!
We have a few other things planned for fund raisers!! We'll keep you posted on it!! As always...we so appreciate your prayers through this process. Prayer makes it possible!  There is something new everyday for us to work toward and it is exciting to watch God move.  We look forward to the day when He shows us who our little boy is!!! I cannot wait to see his little face!! :) Blessings on you guys!! We will keep you posted!!
Mark & Buffi 

Sweet Responses from our Kids

We talked to Sophie, Silas & Sadie a couple of weeks ago about adopting a brother.  When they found out they all three were elated!!! Immediately  Silas asked if he would get to go to China this time and we told him absolutely!!! With lots of enthusiasm...he exclaimed "YES!!!"  (Last time we had to leave him home and he was very upset about it!!) Sophie and Sadie were both very excited at the thought of a little brother...but no where near as excited as Silas was.  He talked 90 to nothing all night that night about it...about all he was going to do for his brother and with his brother when he comes home. It really blessed our hearts!

The next morning after we told the kids...Silas came into our room BRIGHT AND EARLY carrying something in his hand. We were not even out of the bed yet.  He said "Mom, Dad...I dreamed about my brother all night long. I couldn't stop thinking about him." He then handed us a can of money and told us he had counted up all his money - $16.20 and he wanted to give it to us to help go get his brother.  My heart just about jumped out of my chest!! It was a precious moment I will never forget.  Priceless!! I cannot wait for Silas to get his brother either.

Sadie was also very excited...but she was more excited about making sure she helps name him.  LOL.  They all have "S" names and we'd like to continue that theme.  Sadie very confidently and adamantly insists that we need to name him "Samuel" (which we haven't decided yet...but that is her firm choice! :) She likes that name so much...she has gotten her teddy bear and named it Samuel.  She carries it around and talks to it.  She and Silas both let the teddy bear sit between them in the car.  They talk to "Samuel" like he's a real person.  It is the cutest thing!!! I just couldn't help but share those stories with you!!

Sophie is older and much more mature this time around.  When we went to China last time she was 9...which means she was 7 when we started the process (Sadie's age).  She has a greater grasp now on what we are doing and how it is so much God's heart.  It really blesses us to see the maturity of the Lord in her and God's heart blooming in her as well! It blesses this mom and dads heart!!
Thats it for now.  Just had to share a couple of sweet stories.  Those are memories we will want to always remember!! Until next post...thank you all again for praying for our journey.  It is such a blessing to share this with our dear friends!! Love you all!
Mark & Buffi