Our homestudy went well last Friday, it was sooooo many questions and a long day, but good. Our caseworker is a precious lady and we are excited to be working with her in this process. We have about three weeks until all the paperwork is processed and we are officially waiting or as they say, "paper pregnant." Wow.
I've noticed throughout this whole journey that God has really been stretching us past our comforts. It's been two years of loss and waiting. Two years ago Sunday that we lost Grace and the thought crept in that this may not be as easy as we thought it would be. Fast forward to last October where we realized that adoption was to be on the radar sooner rather than later. Fast forward to now and here we are again at a crossroads.
Please never read this and feel sorry for us and give us the good ol, "bless their little hearts". God has been beyond gracious, my friends. He's AMAZINGLY good to us and we live abundant lives. We are being made more like Him and we are growing in our faith and just having him "rock our worlds" for the better. He's stretching us again in this process and making us stand back and say, "ok, Lord...if this is what you want for the Martins....we're all in! It may be hard and we may struggle, but we trust you 100%."
Jacob and I had long said and even written in black ink on our adoption paperwork that we were open racially across the board in adoption. We'd be thankful and excited for what ever skin color the child has that he will put in our family. We go to a church where that's embraced and celebrated, where it's almost the norm in adoption and we praise Jesus for that. We know white couples that have adopted children of other races and they are actually the minority in their own house. We know a couple who are adopting a special needs child from China, we know couples who adopted children from other countries who have H.IV. Praise God for these people who would step up and love these children without even batting an eye.
As we stand here and are faced with praying through what we are supposed to do, weighing the cost, knowing this probably won't be our only adoption...we believe God is calling us to step out in faith. So, we are switching to the program in our agency that is only for minority and biracial adoption. I know some might struggle with this, even out of the goodness of their hearts and simply not wanting us to see suffer more pain and heartache, but I hope you instead are faced with the gospel of Christ. I hope you see how we believe the verse in James that says, "pure and undefiled religion is caring for widows and orphans in their need" refers to the orphan is Africa, in Russia, in China, the white child in the US, and the child of another race in the US. It breaks my heart to know that the cost for us to adopt a biracial child here in the US is three times less for us than a white child. Who will love these precious babies...if not us? Who will step up and say, "yes Lord, send me", if we don't? Will they be passed into a failing foster system or be a child growing up in the welfare system with parents who didn't want them in the first place and would dare call them a mistake? Who will validate over and over again who they are in Christ and not as the world sees them? Who will sing the verse over them with tears in thier eyes, "red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world", if we don't?
I know we will face difficulty in this, our child will surely someday be teased or feel like they don't fit in. I was treated that way as a child a thousand times and I come from a white family. I just know that God wants us to be the kind of people who can bring a child into our family who looks nothing like us and call them "son" or "daughter" because He does. It's simply a preview of heaven that we will be blessed to experience here on earth. It will probably be the greatest joy we could ever be given by Him who's adopted us.
So, we are excited to share this news with you all and hope you'll continue to pray for this precious life that God is going to put into our family. Amen and amen.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Homestudy Scheduled!
Well, talk about getting it done all at once! We have our first visit here at our house next Wednesday and the second at the agency in Fort Worth on Friday. YEAH! It's going to be a long week next week. God is so good!
Please keep us in your prayers!
Please keep us in your prayers!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Mexican Hummus....Um, Um, Good!
Mexican food is one of my bf's. Of course, we don't do the lard and the cheese around here...but yall this is some tasty business right here. I scored this recipe from Vegetarian Times and added some flare.
Mexican Hummus
1 15.5-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup salsa
1 Tbs. lime juice
2 tsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup cilantro
Directions
1.Put beans, salsa, lime juice, oil, garlic and cumin in food processor or blender, and purée until smooth.
2.Spoon mixture into bowl, and stir in pumpkin seeds and cilantro. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate. Makes about 1.5 cups.
So, I try and not use canned beans if I can help it...too many metals. I soaked 1.5 cups of pinto beans with kombu (seaweed that's nature's beano) overnight and then drained and cooked by bringing to a boil and then lowering heat to as fast simmer covered for an 1.5 hours in 6 cups water. You'll know when they are done because they fall apart. Yes, I bought the salsa (organic) and didn't squeeze my own limes (organic lime juice)....I am trying to create recipes for ladies who have busy lives!! I'm right there with yall.
It gets better. I broiled squash, zucchini, and red pepper in the oven marinated in EVOO and salt and pepper about 4-6 min a side. I then spread the hummus over a sprouted tortilla and picked basil from the garden, three leaves, some raw red onions, leftover arugula from the quinoa recipe, and voila! Another wrap, easy to assemble and oh so yummy! You can also serve this as a dip with veggies or whole wheat pita. Any left-over toasted pumpkin seeds you have, go great in a jar and eaten as a snack or in oatmeal for breakfast.
Bueno.
Mexican Hummus
1 15.5-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup salsa
1 Tbs. lime juice
2 tsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup cilantro
Directions
1.Put beans, salsa, lime juice, oil, garlic and cumin in food processor or blender, and purée until smooth.
2.Spoon mixture into bowl, and stir in pumpkin seeds and cilantro. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate. Makes about 1.5 cups.
So, I try and not use canned beans if I can help it...too many metals. I soaked 1.5 cups of pinto beans with kombu (seaweed that's nature's beano) overnight and then drained and cooked by bringing to a boil and then lowering heat to as fast simmer covered for an 1.5 hours in 6 cups water. You'll know when they are done because they fall apart. Yes, I bought the salsa (organic) and didn't squeeze my own limes (organic lime juice)....I am trying to create recipes for ladies who have busy lives!! I'm right there with yall.
It gets better. I broiled squash, zucchini, and red pepper in the oven marinated in EVOO and salt and pepper about 4-6 min a side. I then spread the hummus over a sprouted tortilla and picked basil from the garden, three leaves, some raw red onions, leftover arugula from the quinoa recipe, and voila! Another wrap, easy to assemble and oh so yummy! You can also serve this as a dip with veggies or whole wheat pita. Any left-over toasted pumpkin seeds you have, go great in a jar and eaten as a snack or in oatmeal for breakfast.
Bueno.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Time for A Recipe
Time for some new recipes, it's been way too long! I haven't stopped cooking, this house loves to eat! The more I learn and experiment with cooking, the more I see how it's quickly become one of my great passions. I love to help others strive for healthier and happier lifestyles. A little back story, I was very sick for 15 years. Two years and one month ago, God used food and a major lifestyle change to completely heal my body of the illness I had for so long! It's been an amazing journey and I hope to one day take it even further and start my own business. So, with a husband in school, who eats A LOT, I have been working on recipes that he can put in a wrap and carry with him on campus.
Quinoa (prounounced keen-wah) is a fabulous and versatile grain. It's easily digestible and has a light, nutty flavor. It's has more protein (averages about 16.2%) and calcium than a quart of milk, so it gives you endurance. It's high in iron, magnesium, and potassium. It is strengthening to the kidneys and heart. With this grain, a little goes a long way! It expands to four times its volume when cooked. What's not to love.
Veggie Stuffed Quinoa
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for oiling the pan
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped carrots
1 red bell pepper chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 cup of chopped arugula
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 t sea salt (or to taste)
1t garlic powder
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and cooked according to package directions (Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup roasted almonds
Method
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until transparent, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add mushrooms and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes more. Add carrots and chopped pepper, cook until just softened, then add parsley and arugula (in batches, if needed).
Let greens wilt then stir in garlic powder, salt, and cumin and cooked quinoa and toss gently to combine. Add salt, pepper and almonds and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Set aside to let filling cool until just warm. Serve as a tasty side dish or in sprouted whole grain wraps. This made a huge pot as you can see, so it should last for a few days and lunches!
Finished dish!
Happy and healthy eating!
Quinoa (prounounced keen-wah) is a fabulous and versatile grain. It's easily digestible and has a light, nutty flavor. It's has more protein (averages about 16.2%) and calcium than a quart of milk, so it gives you endurance. It's high in iron, magnesium, and potassium. It is strengthening to the kidneys and heart. With this grain, a little goes a long way! It expands to four times its volume when cooked. What's not to love.
Veggie Stuffed Quinoa
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for oiling the pan
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped carrots
1 red bell pepper chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 cup of chopped arugula
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 t sea salt (or to taste)
1t garlic powder
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and cooked according to package directions (Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup roasted almonds
Method
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until transparent, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add mushrooms and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes more. Add carrots and chopped pepper, cook until just softened, then add parsley and arugula (in batches, if needed).
Let greens wilt then stir in garlic powder, salt, and cumin and cooked quinoa and toss gently to combine. Add salt, pepper and almonds and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Set aside to let filling cool until just warm. Serve as a tasty side dish or in sprouted whole grain wraps. This made a huge pot as you can see, so it should last for a few days and lunches!
Finished dish!
Happy and healthy eating!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Adoption Update
I promise I will get the pics of the nursery up, I keep forgetting to take pictures of it finished in the daylight. It turned out awesome! So did the guest room.
We are waiting on an appeals process with our agency to decide on our adoption fee. Normally, the figure the fee by your combined earnings over the past three years, however; because Jacob is back in school, our situation has changed dramatically with living now on one income. If they give us grace, then our fee will be $7,000 lower. WOW! That's substantial. So please pray for us in that. Out total fees right now are around $37,000. We have to make a big payment before we can start the homestudy and before we can apply for our church scholarship the homestudy must be completed. Then upon final approval, another bigger payment. It's so hard to just trust, why is that? I was re-reading my post from like two posts ago and I specifically mentioned us doubting...even said with finances. Well, that was humbling to read. Because here I am, struggling to hold on. I know God can provide for what he's called us to, but it's so hard and there are so many times where I am ready to throw in the towel and give up.
I have struggled with so much these past weeks. Don't ever let anyone tell you that adoption is full of butterflies and sunshine, it's downright hard, even ugly at times. Hard.....much of the time and I am not even in the waiting yet. Let me expound. It's hard when you've waited so long and prayed so long for a child, it feels so distant and obscure. It's hard to not feel like you are "buying" a baby. It's hard to not wonder if you will have an adoption loss (a birthmother changing her mind, usually after having the baby). It's insanely hard to write a "dear birthmom" letter, telling a woman you've never met how you would be good parents to her child. It's hard to continue to submit your desire for biological children to the Lord and trust that this is the way he desires to grow your family. The list goes on and on.
Yet, I know God will provide. Today the Lord used our caseworker to deeply encourage me. Her words pierced right into my soul and I sobbed through the rest of the email and in Whole Foods. I had a feeling she was a believer...and now I have no doubts. Her words were like a blanket over me. One of those spots where you feel God deeply and feel silly for your lack of faith. Have yall been there? I have really felt alone and discouraged lately. I needed someone to speak right into my soul as she did.
God is good. He knows I need him to battle for me right now. Please keep us in your prayers as we seek to trust Jesus and have patience as we wait for his plan.
We are waiting on an appeals process with our agency to decide on our adoption fee. Normally, the figure the fee by your combined earnings over the past three years, however; because Jacob is back in school, our situation has changed dramatically with living now on one income. If they give us grace, then our fee will be $7,000 lower. WOW! That's substantial. So please pray for us in that. Out total fees right now are around $37,000. We have to make a big payment before we can start the homestudy and before we can apply for our church scholarship the homestudy must be completed. Then upon final approval, another bigger payment. It's so hard to just trust, why is that? I was re-reading my post from like two posts ago and I specifically mentioned us doubting...even said with finances. Well, that was humbling to read. Because here I am, struggling to hold on. I know God can provide for what he's called us to, but it's so hard and there are so many times where I am ready to throw in the towel and give up.
I have struggled with so much these past weeks. Don't ever let anyone tell you that adoption is full of butterflies and sunshine, it's downright hard, even ugly at times. Hard.....much of the time and I am not even in the waiting yet. Let me expound. It's hard when you've waited so long and prayed so long for a child, it feels so distant and obscure. It's hard to not feel like you are "buying" a baby. It's hard to not wonder if you will have an adoption loss (a birthmother changing her mind, usually after having the baby). It's insanely hard to write a "dear birthmom" letter, telling a woman you've never met how you would be good parents to her child. It's hard to continue to submit your desire for biological children to the Lord and trust that this is the way he desires to grow your family. The list goes on and on.
Yet, I know God will provide. Today the Lord used our caseworker to deeply encourage me. Her words pierced right into my soul and I sobbed through the rest of the email and in Whole Foods. I had a feeling she was a believer...and now I have no doubts. Her words were like a blanket over me. One of those spots where you feel God deeply and feel silly for your lack of faith. Have yall been there? I have really felt alone and discouraged lately. I needed someone to speak right into my soul as she did.
God is good. He knows I need him to battle for me right now. Please keep us in your prayers as we seek to trust Jesus and have patience as we wait for his plan.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Maui-fied!
It's been a busy couple months for us, between J and his finals, me and work, adoption paperwork, painting the guest room and nursery (pics to come), and vacation! It's back to busy with summer school for J and adoption scrapbook and homestudy to start soon. Here are some pics from our trip to Maui. Seriously, one of the best vacations I've ever had! My favorite part, laying on the beach with a book in my hands, listening to the waves crashing. Sweet, beautiful music. Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places. We scored an incredible deal on a rental. Check out Vacation Rentals By Owner online if you're looking for a house to rent. We cooked most of our own food, which saved us a lot of dough! If you get the chance to go, I highly recommend it!
One of South Maui's beautiful beaches
Honolua Bay, where J snorkeled, gorgeous reef
Doesn't it just make you feel better? The water was so pretty!
Shopping in Lahaina
Lunch of veggie sushi and miso soup
Our last night in Maui at an incredible restaurant.
One of South Maui's beautiful beaches
Honolua Bay, where J snorkeled, gorgeous reef
Doesn't it just make you feel better? The water was so pretty!
Shopping in Lahaina
Lunch of veggie sushi and miso soup
One of the few places we ate out for all organic wood-fired pizza. Delicious!
Beautiful Maui sunset
One of many waterfalls on the East side
I had to put this one in, this guy, had a ice cream stand in the middle of the jungle. In real life, he had no shirt on and used his machete to dash open a coconut for us to drink the milk and then served us the best vegan coconut ice cream we've ever tasted. Wish I had another bowl now.
Our last night in Maui at an incredible restaurant.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
At The Cross
What's defines me? I've been asking myself this question a lot lately. More than that realizing what doesn't define me. All my life I thought I had this real grip on the gospel and all that it is.....but lately I am realizing just how little I've really understood it down to the depths of my soul. I love Jesus, love him so much and I really seek to glorify Him with my life. But, the gospel...the gospel has been changing me. As I've struggled with sin issues and really been asking God to help "kill" those things in me, something in my soul has shifted. I've gone from beating myself up over sin, to seeing my Lord step into the gap every time and remind me, "Child, I died for that." I am so affected by His great sacrifice....more than I ever have been in my 28 years. His perfect love, taking on the wrath of God....so that I might live in eternity. One day, all who believe in Christ will stand before the throne and hear "this one's mine." Can you even try to wrap your mind around that without tears streaming down your face? It's only by His sacrifice and not by my deeds or faith, or rather lack there of.
Isaiah 51:17 talks about the "cup of wrath" that God was giving to his own Son, referring to it as the "cup of staggering."
In his book "The Cross Centered Life", CJ Mahaney discusses the scene in the Garden of Gethsemane.
"Listen again to the precious and powerful words we hear Him repeat to His Father:
'Not my will, but your will.'
Jesus is saying, 'Father, I willingly drink this cup by your command---I'll drink it all.'
And He will. He'll drink all of it, leaving not a drop. Not only will He leave nothing in that cup of wrath for us to drink....but today you and I will find ourselves with another cup in our hands. It's the cup of salvation. From this precious new cup we find ourselves drinking and drinking--drinking consistently, drinking endlessly, drinking eternally...for the cup of salvation is always full and overflowing. We can drink from this cup only because Jesus spoke those words about the other cup: 'Yet not what I will, but what you will.'
I will drink it all."
Oh what love my friends. It is the cross which defines me, defines you. The gospel. It is Christ.
Isaiah 51:17 talks about the "cup of wrath" that God was giving to his own Son, referring to it as the "cup of staggering."
In his book "The Cross Centered Life", CJ Mahaney discusses the scene in the Garden of Gethsemane.
"Listen again to the precious and powerful words we hear Him repeat to His Father:
'Not my will, but your will.'
Jesus is saying, 'Father, I willingly drink this cup by your command---I'll drink it all.'
And He will. He'll drink all of it, leaving not a drop. Not only will He leave nothing in that cup of wrath for us to drink....but today you and I will find ourselves with another cup in our hands. It's the cup of salvation. From this precious new cup we find ourselves drinking and drinking--drinking consistently, drinking endlessly, drinking eternally...for the cup of salvation is always full and overflowing. We can drink from this cup only because Jesus spoke those words about the other cup: 'Yet not what I will, but what you will.'
I will drink it all."
Oh what love my friends. It is the cross which defines me, defines you. The gospel. It is Christ.
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