I Don't Want to Mow the Lawn....so please help!!!!!!!!

So we can be a bit of a competitive family. We really like pushing each other which can be good thing....well... until you make a friendly wager with your husband, right?  So far, Tony has sold 10 tickets to the Zumba adoption fundraiser.  I have sold two. Of course that's given him bragging rights...and I wasn't having that so I made a wager with him.

The Wager: I bet Tony that I could sell more tickets for the Zumba adoption fundraiser than him by next Sunday, August 7th. Of course, he'd never stand down from a challenge so the bet's on!  
The one bonus is that donations can be included into that total.

What's at Stake: You guessed it! If I lose, I have to mow the lawn. Please understand that I have NEVER mowed our SIZABLE lawn before and I'm pretty okay with that. I hate the outdoors and it's pretty humid outside now so you have to mow it earlier in the morning. 

If I win and collect the most dollars/tickets from July 27 to next Sunday, August 7th, he has to clean the ENTIRE house AND make sure that I have breakfast, lunch, and dinner served to me in bed. I L-O-V-E it!!! So let's go team! I'm sure his boys will be trying to help him out so I have to get moving because I sure would love a clean house and meals served to me in bed for an entire day!

How To Cast Your Vote

Make a donation because you can't attend the event... 

     1. Go to www.firstgiving.com/michellemckinney
     2.  Vote with your donation by putting my name or Tony's name in the comments section.

Purchase a ticket to the Zumba event... 

     1.  Go to www.zumba4selah.eventbrite.com
     2.  Vote with your ticket purchase by putting my name or Tony's name in the 'who referred you to this event' box.

Since he's not typing this post, I sure hope you'll favor me, me, me this time, right? (smile)

So She Thinks She Can Zumba!!! (Fundraiser Video Promo)

So by now, you may know I'll do 'just about' anything for fundraisers that we dream up to bring our daughter home...that includes gettin' right silly! This week was no different.  Check out this crazy video promo with me and my friend, Trenace.  BIG thanks to Marty Cunningham for the camera work and putting it together, as well as Kristen for her hand in directing.  These are all my co-workers (believe it or not --lol) but they're actually more like family.


Enjoy....and don't forget you can purchase a ticket at www.zumba4selah.eventbrite.com or if you'd like to donate but can't attend, hop on over to our partners at www.firstgiving.com/michellemckinney and let us know that you saw the video.  Many thanks friends!

Final Fundraiser...Zumba! Zumba! Zumba!

Yes indeed! Yes indeed! We are all set to host our final fundraiser on Friday, August 19th and I can't wait! As some of you know, I don't like to work out or eat healthy BUT I found something that I actually really like....Zumba! Don't get me wrong...I'm not the most coordinated chick in the bunch. Beyonce would totally pick me last on her dance squad....trust!  Yet, there's something about Zumba that makes me happy.  Sometimes I have taken the back row spot at the class and other times, I venture up to the front.  It's a great workout but it's so much fun.  So....why don't you join us and heck, if you can't come, purchasing a ticket at $10 will sponsor me and I'll shake my booty just for you.  LOL!

Purchase tickets here:  www.zumba4selah.eventbrite.com

Announcing Twins!!!!

Not me sillies....but my friend, Chelsea who is an amazing photographer in Fairbanks, Alaska just posted their recent adoption of twins....and oh my goodness! They are soooooo super perfect.  Yes, I watched every single minute of this video and was in awe.  I totally felt like I was there as I watched this beautiful love story unfold that her hubby captured.  Check it out for yourself and then head over here to Chelsea's blog to see her amazing photography work.  I bet once you see her work, you'll be ready to throw on your heavy coat and head over to Alaska just for a session with MachC Photography!  Well, at least that's what I want to do! Ya think Sarah Palin will stash me in her suitcase on her next return trip from here in Washington, DC???? 

Untitled from Chelsey M. on Vimeo.

Pink Never Looked So Good: New T-Shirts!

So this is my girlfriend, Deborah.  She is all things international and a phenomenal mom.  We first met while working in the corporate world together.  Since then, Deborah has moved on to do bigger, better things.  In fact, check this out -- she owns an awesome business called Lessons From Abroad where she and her dynamic team teach children and adults foreign language and culture.  Check them out by clicking here.  Deborah's been a dynamic supporter of our adoption from the very beginning.

So here she goes again....she's looking FANTASTIC in our newest t-shirt by Mocha Club.  Pink never looked so good on!  So much so....you have to snag one for yourself.  Just like the original Mocha Club shirt we were selling, this one also has the explanation of the shirt printed on the inside....quite clever!  Haven't seen the explanation of 'I Need Africa More Than Africa Needs Me' yet? Check out the YouTube clip...every single word shared is printed inside the shirt: 



Beautiful message for a beautiful person like you!  Yep...even strong men wear pink so if you're a gal, grab one for your guy.  Sizes: XS, Small, Medium, Large, XL.  (Deborah is wearing a Medium in the picture above.)

Ordering (requesting a t-shirt) is easy as 1-2-3!

1.  Make a donation of $20 or more at our partner site www.firstgiving.com/michellemckinney. As a thank you gift for your donation, the shirt is all yours!  We'll even pay for shipping within the USA.

2.  Put the words 'shirt' in the comments section when submitting your donation information. 

3.  I'll contact you via e-mail to retrieve your size and mailing address.  (I currently have some shirts on hand but will need to place an order if we run out. In which case, please allow 7-14 business days for your shirt to arrive.)

BONUS:  Your donation through our giving partner, First Giving, is tax-deductible. Double yay!

Really....Why Are Our Medical Exams Always Drama-Filled???

So....here we go again on our merry-go-round of lab work and physicals! As we prepare to update our home study, as with last time, the medical piece is never a piece of cake.  So we fasted this week and went in for our labs.  When I went online to review our lab results, I immediately realized that they did not pull all of the required labs to comply with our America World physical examination form.  So....I went to my doctor's office to let them know and it was agreed that we would fast again last night and then go back this morning to get the additional labs pulled along with a urinalysis.  Now please know that I REALLY enjoy food so fasting for me often leaves me crabby. My solution:  go to bed really early so that I don't have to deal with myself.  (LOL...yeah, it's that deep.)

I got up this morning, kept myself busy with house work and was then off to the lab.  I arrived only to find that the labs hadn't been ordered and I'm thinking No! No! No! There's no way I'm going to fast again.  So the lab tech said they could just pull a 'rainbow collection' of my blood work and just wait until the doctor is back in on Monday to have her order the tests.  Cool with me!  So my blood was drawn, I tinkled in the cup (like a lady --lol), and was then headed home to get me some grub.

Next up was my hubby....he didn't start his fast until later the previous night so he had to go to the lab later.  He arrived at the lab only to have them tell him the same thing about no lab orders being in the system.  He had the lab tech call me.  I explained what the previous lab tech did.  She said we really didn't need to fast for this second set of labs....I'm thinking 'oh great!' She shares her take on what needs to be done which is different from what the other technician had me do.  So now....I'm just hoping that somewhere in the middle of this madness, we get what we need before our physical exams on Thursday with our doctor ....and then on to the paperwork nightmare of dealing with Kaiser's medical form process.  The one highlight in this part is working with our doctor and her nurse.  They really are sooooo sweet.  But really....why are our medical exams for this adoption process always drama-filled???

New Orphans & Widow Glass Tile Pendant! FREE with Donation.

Limited quantity available. (Will post here when supply runs out.)

Whether you're an advocate for orphans or widows, or perhaps both, this necklace makes such a beautiful and bold statement.  "He fought for me.  I'm fighting for them." 

On the back of the necklace the scriptures from John 3:16 and James 1:27 serve as a reminder of how He fought for me and what I should do about it.

How did He fight for me?  John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

How should I honor His fight for me? One way is by doing what He shares in James 1:27 for them:  "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Make a bold statement and remind yourself each time you put it on that we are called to be His hands and feet by taking care of orphans and widows.  Hold the reminders of those two scriptures close to your heart.

Great gifts for: Adopting parents, family and friends who are supporting your adoption, missionaries, orphan advocates, widow advocates...and others.

Ordering (requesting a necklace) is easy as 1-2-3!

1.  Make a donation of $20 or more at our partner site www.firstgiving.com/michellemckinney. 

2.  Be sure to put the words 'necklace' in the comments section when submitting your donation information. Because of the various types of donors to our site, you MUST state in the comment section the words 'necklace' to trigger us to send you this special gift.  Note:  If you would like to request more than one necklace, your donation should be in multiples of $20. 

3.  I'll contact you via e-mail to retrieve your mailing address.  (Because each necklace is handmade, please allow 7-14 business days for me to create your necklace.  I generally try to get completed on the earlier side of that time frame.)

BONUS:  Your donation through our giving partner, First Giving, is tax-deductible. Double yay!

Fearless....well at least today! (smile)

Well last, week -- July 4th to be exact-- I confessed that I had been procrastinating on getting started with our home study update.  Our adoption agency, America World (AWAA) sent us the info but based on how things went last year, I've been putting it off....BUT guess what? I got over my pity party and moments of fear right after I typed that post!  Yes indeedy!  That's one of the things I love about blogging.  It's so therapeutic because I get to blurt out all of the craziness and then usually, I'm totally fine.

So....I filled out all of our paperwork! Milestone!  Here's a brief version of our remaining things to do:

1. Get fingerprints done at local police station and then send them in to CJIS in Pikesville, MD.
2. Drop off medical forms at our medical center for me, Tony, and the boys.  THIS PART IS THE PIECE THAT WAS THE NIGHTMARE LAST YEAR.  Get the forms notarized and sent in to AWAA.
3. Get lab work done prior to physicals scheduled for next week....yep, 12 hour fast needed first.  Send completed forms back to AWAA.  (Our medical center takes about 14 business days to complete).
4. Drop off child protective clearance forms off and obtain receipt.
5. Send completed Home Study update form to AWAA.

 Now here's what the long version looks like....yep, I'm pretty much into writing out the details:

Six Months DTE!!!

Yes sir! Today marks 6 months of us waiting to be matched with our daughter.  It's so funny that we are here in THIS seat because I remember when we were still waiting to get our paperwork, I was in such AWE at those who were at this milestone.  So....we wait!

Each month, we try to celebrate by serving others.  I don't have any specific pictures of what I've been doing to serve someone specific.  One really cool thing since our church's 'God is for the Poor' series is that I've been working with a homeless gentleman to prayerfully get him on his feet.  I learn a lot from him but it is his faith in God that always humbles me.  My kids know him by name and if they see him while we're out, they'll say, 'Hey there's Mr. Such and Such'.  They see me talking to him in the parking lot, giving him money, groceries, or whatever.  I just pray that they'll do the same and so much more in learning to serve others.

So family............here's to 6 Months!  We're getting closer!

I Have A Confession

Yes...I have a confession. I have paperwork anxiety. We found out last month that we had to renew our homestudy and clearances because it's been almost a year since we were first approved....darn lengthy process! (smile...okay...maybe I'm not smiling)

I've had the update paperwork that our adoption agency, America World, sent to us but I haven't been able to budge yet.  Yeah...I've been extremely busy at home and work but I was busy when I went through this paperwork pile last year.  I was fired up and ready to take on the challenge.  The difference now is that I remember how difficult....I almost want to say horrible....the process was with our medical records and clearances.  We have an HMO plan and our providers go through a particular process.  Every single piece of it was tedious and sometimes the 'system' doesn't work as simple as I'd like.  We had to mesh our agency's process with our provider's process and both are pretty particular. So.....here we are...having to do this all over again--YET.....when I think about my daughter, it gives me just a 'little' push to beginning tackle this tomorrow.  Pray for us, our medical clearances, security clearances, that I don't get cold feet, and that things won't be as bad as I remember last time.

Happy 4th of July! Hopefully, this is the last one we'll spend watching the fireworks as a family of 4.

My Very FIRST Adoption Airport Arrival!

Remember my girls (Jenn, Stacey, Monica, Susan, and Bethany) who also live here in the DC area and are also adopting from America World???  WELL....Susan and her hubby Ed came home with their THREE children from Ethiopia and OH MY GOODNESS...it was more than I could have ever imagined.  The love, joy, and tears were beyond words.  Don't believe me??? Catch this.....BUT WAIT!  Among many others parts, one of my very favorite moments in the video is when Susan's son, "J", meets back up with his Ethiopian friend, "A".  Who but God could orchestrate something so amazing so that these two 'best buds' who lived in the orphanage together now also live only minutes from each other in America.  God, You Rock!!!  Take a peek....



Hold on to your hearts though....Stacey and her hubby, Evan are leaving TOMORROW to go pick-up their son!  I don't know if my heart can take another one of these airport arrivals.............nah....yes, I can!

We Hit Another Milestone This Week!

What another phenomenal week!  As we continue to chug along in saving and raising funds to totally complete our adoption costs, including travel, I am astounded at the love our daughter receives.  So on June 13th, I tweeted that I thought we could hit 88% completion of our adoption goal:

Well we did it!  This morning, I entered the offline amounts and we made it with a few bucks over.  Beautiful! 

Totally amazing that we may be totally funded through our savings and fundraising BEFORE we are even matched with our daughter! Who knew?!

Rev Run on Adoption....gotta watch this!

As we journey through this adoption process, I always find strength in hearing other family's stories.  Well, imagine my delight when I came upon this video today where Rev Run (of rap group Run DMC) TRANSPARENTLY shared their family's adoption journey at Catalyst West.  I loved every single bit of this because it was from a man's perspective.  You see, I know what we think about as women as we travel this adoption journey, but it was so great to hear Rev Run (ya know...a real dude) share what the adoption journey was like for him.  Trust me, all 3 videos are worth viewing.

From Tragedy... (Part 1)


To Love... (Part 2)

**....and please (smile) don't ride him about his comment about loving his adopted child more than his biological children.  Take it into context and what he's really trying to articulate....in the beginning, he didn't know if he could love his adopted child the same way he loved his biological children.  In fact, he discovered that he loved Miley more than he could have ever imagined.

A Dad's Perspective (Part 3)


Whether a family decides to adopt a baby or a teenager, he's right -- adopting a baby (a child) will blow your mind!  Can't wait to see when our daughter gets here how she turns this testosterone-dominated house into a pile of mushiness! (smile)  I'll keep you updated.

Big hugs,

We're Closing the Gap!!!

I am so excited because since my last blog post, we've reached another milestone!  We shared then that we had about $5500 left to complete our adoption.  Well, the word got out and we saw some amazing movement.  Everything from straight-out donations to t-shirt and necklace purchases.  Here is just a small sampling of how God moved people's hearts.  There was:

• the widow without much money who donated $5 via my aunt Johnette (simply amazing and beautiful);
• the adopting mom who keeps coming back to donate even though she's raising money herself;
• my pastor who keeps putting the word out on his personal twitter and facebook page;
•  friends who are repeat donors;
• the family member who shocked me with $200 in an envelope...i literally screamed!;
• the friend who keeps supporting and is now donating $20 every pay period;
• the beautiful people who donated who don't even know us but just heard our story;
• and truly...the stories go on and on.

So I say a big THANK YOU! We are now only $3,713 short of closing the gap on our adoption costs!!!  Thank you for being a part of our daughter's adoption story.  What a beautiful story we are weaving together.  Collectively, I believe we'll finish this by the end of the summer!  *eek* so excited!

Don't forget, when you donate through our partners via our First Giving page, it's a tax-deductible contribution!  Check it out here:  www.firstgiving.com/michellemckinney

We Couldn't Have Done This Without You!

If you've followed our adoption journey from day one, you know that this has been a remarkable journey for us.  We started out as a family stepping out on faith with a big dream....a God-sized dream.

From the very beginning, we were staring at a debt of around $25,000 that later grew to around $31,000 due to changes the Ethiopian government made to the adoption process.  Staring at that debt was well beyond anything we could ever do....but you know what?  The God we serves specializes in paying debt.  If you don't believe me, check out John 3:16 in the New Testament. (smile)

...and TODAY, in looking at our fundraiser thermometer, we see we only have about $5,500 left to finish out our adoption costs.  This is MONUMENTAL!!!!

Why?  We are the average middle-class family without boat loads of money sitting in a savings or retirement account.  We save as much as we can and find cool ways to raise funds.  Most of all, we have seen what your sacrificed donations of $5, $10, $20, and $50 have done at chipping away at this debt.  It may have seemed little to you at the time, but your donations have meant the world to us.  We've been blown away in the past year by two separate $5,000 donations....and then how one of those donors decided to also do a donor match back in February.  Your stories of sacrificial giving amaze me and are making a difference in the life of a child who has grown in this mama's heart for the past 2 years.  Like today, receiving an unexpected donation did this mama's heart so good.

We're at the home stretch family!  Will you partner with us to finish strong by donating today or this week?  Don't forget, your donations are tax-deductible when you donate through our partner at Lifesong for Orphans/First Giving.  As you've seen every little bit of sacrifice is changing the world....one orphan at a time.

Love y'all!

God is in the Details

Today, I had the privilege of witnessing God bring to fruition the beginnings of a homeless man's dream.  It really is an amazing story and I can't wait to share all of the details within the next month.  But for now, I'll share this about it.  The very thing that was just a wish of this wonderful man is becoming a reality even down to the details.  What's so wonderful is that the donor had no idea about the homeless man's wish.  The donor simply sent an e-mail to me and another colleague out of obedience for what was stirring in his heart.  When I got the e-mail from the donor about the specifics of what he wanted to do for someone, I was floored.  It was so specific and matched up exactly with the homeless man's wish that I thought for a moment this must be a scam.  After doing a tad bit of Google research and probing, I quickly realized that no...God had seen this homeless man and was into the details of his life.

You know what that made me realize?  If God is in the details of this man's life, then surely He will be into the details of my daughter's life.  Where will the remaining $6K come from for her adoption?  I have no idea but God does and He's into those details.  When will I lay eyes on her for the first time?  God knows and is into the details.  Why is this process taking so long?  I have no idea but God does and He's into the details about why it can't happen today.  How this brings me such peace.

I'm trusting that God is into the details of my daughter's life in the same way that He is in the details of this wonderful man whom He also call His child.  

For you Zion Church folks who were wandering....yes, my daughter who I am adopting from Ethiopia is my Lazarus on the back of my puzzle piece. (smile)

What's the Scoop??? ....and I'm Not Talking Ice Cream.

So...here's the scoop. The adoption process has been taking so long that we were informed by our adoption agency we'd have to update our home study. (insert tears here). Basically, this just hurt my heart because out of the entire process thus far, the home study was the hardest for us.  Last July, I remember so clearly how tough the back and forth was with our background and medical records....ugh!!!  It was tough to say the least.

So now that I've sat a week in shock that the reality is that we have to do the homestudy update, I'm now ready to move full steam ahead this week and knock this right out!  Let's get it!  There's a little girl on the other side of the world waiting for me.

My Name is Michelle and I'm Addicted to Adoption Videos (smile)

Yes, I have a sickness....

I love, love, love finding new adoption stories on YouTube and Vimeo.  To be honest, in these slow-moving adoption days, it's one of the things that sustains this mama.  Here are a few recent ones that I stumbled across.  What are some of your favorites?  (Of course this addict would love you to leave the links in the comments section...LOL)

Be Still My Heart....Tiffany's Story Will Blow You Away!

I first heard about Tiffany's story (okay...I know it's really God's story) from my DC/MD/VA adoption buddies over breakfast.  When I got back home, I wanted to read it for myself.  Now that I've read it for myself....I have to share it with you.

Tiffany and her husband had been matched with this precious little boy and were all geared up to go get him and bring him back home.  But then Tiffany uttered a small prayer to God:  shatter my heart.

So God did...in a MAJOR way.  NOT by coincidence, Tiffany meets Habtamu who becomes the catalyst for her prayer to God to shatter her heart...(read the first part of the story here: http://amomentcherished.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-answered-prayer.html)

In the sweetest way, Tiffany finds that she is also 'mother' to this amazing, young, handsome little boy as well....(read that part of the story here...http://amomentcherished.blogspot.com/2011/03/rich.html)

As if my heart can take any more of this story, Tiffany now fights likes any good 'mother' on behalf of her other boy who is thousands of miles away.  Follow their story and intercede in prayer on behalf of Habtamu and the many other children who find themselves living on the streets.  (read this final part of the story here...http://amomentcherished.blogspot.com/2011/03/other-boy.html)

So love how God is into the details of our lives.

Breakthrough: Two GREAT AHA Moments About Our Adoption

Friday morning I was feeling a bit down but as I journeyed to my favorite Ethiopian Cafe in Silver Spring, MD, I received a great breakthrough of understanding about our daughter from a stranger.  It will forever ring deep in my soul...a local's view of Ethiopian international adoption and changing your adoptive child's name....some things to consider...