Caroline's team are Champs!

If you've been reading this blog long, you'll remember an entry last Spring when Caroline's soccer team went to a tournament and got rocked, but I was still proud of them. This weekend while we were gone on our get-a-way Caroline's team was in another tournament. When we landed Brad noticed a message on his cell phone. It was Caroline bubbling with excitement saying that they won all three games and were going to the Championships that afternoon. We got our other kids and made it to the game by half time. Their team was tied 0-0 and I thought that maybe I should leave again, but I'm SO glad that I didn't. You have to understand that Caroline's team is a bit up and down and has never won more than two game in a row and never more that one tournament game all together. So this was exciting but I started to think runner up was just as good and then the both teams scored and it was tied 1-1 after regulation. Then it went to two over times and then to a shoot out where 5 girls from each side has a penalty kick against the goalie and our girls pulled out the victory and won the whole tournament. It was so exciting and the confidence that this has given them is unbelievable! Congratulations Lady Rockets!

Charming Charleston Getaway!

Brad and I had a rare opportunity to have a weekend away. We missed the kids and thought about them often. We went to Charleston, SC and specifically to Kiawah Island where Brad had a little business and I came along for the FUN! The weather wasn't wonderful but the company was fantastic and we had a wonderful time touring Charleston one day and tour Kiawah Island the next. Here are some shots from our wonderfully relaxful weekend.

A missionary update!

Check out this good post. It is an update from a friend that is serving on a short term missions trip in the region that Asher is from. Very eye opening. I just can't get enough of the pictures and stories that come from this region. My friend is with an organization called African Widows and Orphans Project. It makes me want to go and serve as well. We were away for the weekend and I will update more on that later.

Ever have one of those days?

This is how I feel today. This was actually taken a few day as ago when I was suppose to feed Asher lunch but before I could get it on the table this is what happened! Today is another story. I've put him down 3 times and Praise the Lord, the third time was the charm! I'm so tired and I don't have any soda, but I have ethiopian coffee. See ya, I'm gonna start brewing!

100th Post - well almost!

Here is where I'm suppose to post 100 things about me (us).

1. This is actually my 102nd post -opps!

2. Married to the best man in the world

3. Have the best children ever!

4. I am one of 6 kids.

5. My parents were only children.

6. I have no first cousins.

7. I have no aunts and uncles

8. I have many great aunts and uncles.

9. I have a identical twin sister.

10. We switched classes to fool our teachers from 1st through 8th grade.

11. Just absolutely love Chocolate!

12. My kids have all hair colors and I love it!

13. I went to IU and got a degree in finance.

14. I use my degree with our own personal finances.

15. I have two older sisters.

16. I have two older brothers

17. I have one younger sister.

18. She is 4 minutes younger than me.

19. She is two inches taller than me.

20. I love the TV show globe trecker.

21. There is not a place in the world that I wouldn't want to see.

22. I had a german exchange student named Petra in high school.

23. We still stay in touch.

24. I know very little german.

25. I know very little swahili.

26. I took a semester in college

27. I went to Tanzania in the summer after my junior year in college.

28. My twin sister went to Alaska at the same time.

29. I feel in love with Africa that summer and wanted to return.

30. I had dinner in Dar Es Saleem with the former secretary to President Naraare (sp?).

31. I feed baboons.

32. I drove through a game park sitting in the back of a pick up.

33. Watched excitedly as an elephant charged our truck.

34. Saw Hippos in a lake.

35. Had my hair corn rowed in the center of town and the whole town came out to see it.

36. Spent my first anniversary with my husband in Moscow, Russia with 70 high school students.

37. We were in charge of a group of 12 to evangelize in the class rooms there.

38. Coldest showers ever taken were in the cold tiled bath without a curtain.

39. Went back to Russia two years later and taught english in an old communist boy scout camp.

40. I know how to say Hello, thank you and a few other phrases in 5 languages and would love to know one fluently.

41. I love math and dig numbers.

42. I have this wierd gift of remembering birthdays of individuals. But, I don't always remember in time to send a card.

43. I love Thai food! And mexican. And Ethiopian. and German

44. Ok, I just love food.

45. I love being a mother of four!

46. I was promoted from my job as secretary at our church to motherhood.

47. I started dating my husband when we were sophomores in high school.

48. We went to different schools.

49. My Jr. year he was in my year book more than I was because he was the yearbook editor
for his school and knew the photographer.

50. I played sports in school but didn't really fit in any click.

51. My favorite was soccer.

52. I played basketball and softball.

53. My favorite verse is Zephaniah 3:17

54. My children look nothing like me and I love that!

55. They are all different.

56. My youngest is Ethiopian-American.

57. I don't care for regular coffee.

58. I love Ethiopian coffee - go figure.

59. I love the beach.

60. Favorite vacation spot is Kiawah Island, SC.

61. Love my parents to pieces.

62. My mother was a cheerleader and has an amazing personality.

63. She never knew a stranger.

64. My father played basketball in college.

65. He has a watch from the NIT tournament.

66. My grandfather was a horseman in World War I in France.

67. My favorite color is green.

68. My favorite movie is National Treasure.

69. My favorite season is fall.

70. I love the ladies in my adoption group - go sistas!

71. I love serfing the net for info on other countries especially Ethiopia.

72. I love to try new things but have a hard time in new social situations.

73. I have a stress out attack when people come to stay with us.

74. Amazing Race is my absolute favorite!!

75. I drink Pepsi not Coke

76. My first pop star crush was Barry Manilow.

77. I got perms in high school to have ANY body in my hair-do.

78. I melt with the glimmer of my 6 year old dauhter's eyes when she smiles.

79. I love the bright smile across my older son's face which occurs so often and especially at school - got to love that!

80. I love the sweet spirit of my 12 year old daughter's heart. Her compassion and desire to see all come to Christ.

81. I crack up at the raise of my 1 year olds eye brows when he says."Yes, I want a banana!"

82. My husband is the smartest man I know beside my father. He is so wise

83. I love watching football with my husband.

84. We are big OSU fans and went to the 1997 Rose Bowl where OSU came back with 46 seconds left to beat Arizona State.

85. I have a bald spot on the right side of my head due to being born breach. Mom, always said "Good thing you are a girl".

86. I love a good sunset.

87. I love the giggle of a child and a belly laugh is so much better!

88. I can't believe it took me this long to tell you that I love the Lord!

89. The Lord has helped me through my anxiety issue and continues to do so. He is awesome!

90. We celebrate the let down of Christmas by eating ethnic food on our family room floor in front of the fire on the 26th of Christmas.

91. I have a black lab named Buckeye - Yes for the Ohio State Buckeyes! And She is a female!

92. I have a sister who went to law school at age 40 and is starting her own plant business.

93. I have a sister and brother that run marathons.

94. I have a brother that every birthday I apologize for all the times my twin sister and I blamed him for our stuff we did and never got in trouble.

95. Brad and I both have sisters that are missionaries in Mexico.

96. I love newborns and that is why I volunteer in the nursery cause Brad says no more babies :(, but he hasn't said - no more period yet.

97. I want to go back to Ethiopia and this time visit many towns including the small town of Boditi.

98. I loved playing soccer with children in Njombe, Tanzania.

99. I love kayaking, swimming and playing on the play ground with my family!

100. My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip.

He made the front page!

Our little guy made the front page of our local paper and what we are really excited about is that article really centers on Adoption and foster care and how churches in our area are rallying to bring children into homes to discover their full potential that God has intended for them to be! Brad and Asher are recognized all over and an Ethiopian man gave Brad his business card in the barber shop and said if you need any help with cultural influence give him a call. Can't wait to see how this connection plays out.

In case the link goes away here is the article copied.


Bringing Hope to orphans
Coalition eyes more adoptions of local children
By Denise Callahan
Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
His big eyes shining, Asher Ewing extends his one-year-old hand for a shake.
He didn't learn this confidence from his birth parents. He learned it from Chris and Brad Ewing, who rescued him from a life of certain despair and devastation in Ethiopia.

Brad Ewing holds onto his adopted child from Ethiopia Asher Ewing in Landen Park Saturday afternoon. The Ewing family attends Hope Church which is a church that has been encouraging more families to adopt and foster children.Click to enlarge
Larry Bergeron, lead pastor of Hope Church in MasonClick to enlarge
Asher epitomizes the effort his parish — Hope Church in Mason — is making to save orphaned and abandoned children around the world and in the Tri-state.
Hope Church is marshalling the Tri-state community to find homes for foster and orphaned children.

The Ewings, who live in the modest community of Wood Trails, already were raising three children. But they reached into their hearts and there was room for one more. They traveled to Africa a year ago to bring Asher home.

"I felt God was calling us to join the process," Chris said. "It was in my heart for a long time, but I had to get Brad on board because I couldn't jump in that puddle alone. He was all for it."
Several families from the church, including Lead Pastor Larry Bergeron and his wife, Wendy, have adopted and fostered children. But Bergeron said they can, and will, do better.
"What a great thing it would be if a year from now the state of Ohio had taken such a lead on this nationally — that Ohio became one of the models for improving the lives of children — because of what we did together," he said.

Coalition of Care
Hope Church doesn't just give lip service to helping children — and it seems others are also interested in taking action.
More than 800 people flocked to the church Sunday night for the kick off of the Coalition of Care initiative. Hope and its Lead Pastor Larry Bergeron have collected eight other partner churches thus far for its Coalition.
The coalition is an effort to raise awareness about the great need for adoptive and foster parents worldwide, and locally and to provide direct support for families who have taken this generous step.

"Sometimes families think, 'I don't want to be a foster parent,'" Bergeron said. "But besides being a direct parent there are 40 different ways to be involved with foster care."
The churches agree in phase one to identify families in their parishes who are fostering or have or are trying to adopt and offer them support and recognition. The churches will educate their flock on the enormous need and offer assistance for those parishioners who are interested in programs to care for children. They also were asked to set some money aside to help families with respite care and other needs and to collect shoes, clothes and food for the needy.
The coalition will also hold a symposium in 2008 that partners are expected to attend.
The second tier of partnership requires a bit heavier commitment, according to Bergeron. Parishes are asked to provide money to dig a fresh water well in a third-world country, or perhaps to participate in a major food project or to set up an adoption fund to help with overseas adoption expenses.

Chris and Brad Ewing spent $17,000 adopting their son, Asher, but bills can often bulge to $30,000 in some cases. Brad said, however, they received a $10,000 tax credit for adopting Asher, "So it really was a wash."

The Ewings brought their son home in July 2006, just seven months after they applied — which was shortly after he was born. He'll turn 2 in December. With all the requirements —fingerprinting, background checks, immigration red tape and the like — that was a lightning-fast turnaround.

Bergeron said 22 families in his church either have or are in the process of adopting children. Some adoptions — he called them "paper pregnancies — can take years. He and his wife Wendy adopted a little Russian girl, Nadya, 12, in 2003 and little Emma, 2, came from China to join the Bergeron clan earlier this year.

"Many people tell us how fortunate these children are," he said. "But I have to tell people you don't understand, I'm far more blessed than these children are."
Warren County Children Services Director Patricia Jacobs said the local push to find foster and adoptive families could have a profound effect.

"One of the biggest things the churches can help us do is to recruit new foster homes in Warren County so we can keep the kids either in the same schools or the same county, at least to help facilitate a smooth transition," Jacobs said. "The same school would be ideal. The same county helps us with visitation between the children and their parents and with services we need to provide to the children."

In addition to forging the Coalition, Hope is also in the process of building a center on its site — set to open in 2008 — where community groups can come to prepare food packets for starving people around the world.
By the numbers
• There are 143 million children orphaned worldwide, and only 22,000 are
ever adopted.
• There are 500,000 kids in foster care in the U.S., and 120,000 are seeking
adoption.
• There are 12,000 children in foster care in this state, and 100 of them are in
our County.

We've Been Touched!

How can I describe the experience we have had last weekend. We were blessed to be a host family for two girls from the Children of the World Choir. Joyce is from Uganda and Rochel is from the Philippines! What a wonderful time we had with these two girls. We just lived life with them. We learned of their favorite animals and that Joyce loves lions and even had one in her home. We learned that Rochel goes to school in a bike carriage type of transportation. We loved talking about our faith in Christ and I had to repeatedly be reminded that I was talking to two 8 year old girls. Our kids loved playing with them and just living life. They sang at our church on Sunday morning and then again Sunday night for a full concert. They sing of God's Love and hope they have because of the faith they have in Christ. The choir is made of boys and girls from India, Uganda and the Philippines. These children are a part of the sponsorship program of World Help. Some are orphans and some have families and they are sharing about the needs of the children of the world and how you can come along side them and sponsor a child.

We were so touched by these two wonderful girls. My kids can not stop talking about them. The girls were so sad Tuesday when they left and Abby went in an laid down on the bed to try and smell them. We were touched in a big way. We have experienced other cultures without leaving the house, but truly we've been touched by two 8 year old missionaries. Please check out their website and see if they are coming to sing at a church near you! Our choir was the central US choir but there are two other choirs that tour the eastern US and the western US.

A Great Day is Going On!

So far my day has been wonderful. My mother-in-law watched my kids watched for me while I went to have my hair done and have a rare lunch date with my husband. We haven't been on a lunch date in the middle of the week by ourselves since we had kids which would be over 12 years ago. And then a man came a delivered this . . .
I'm trying to wait til my husband comes home to eat it all up, but I do have the picture right? My friends from my Bible study delivered this yummy treats. Thanks, Gals!

Lordy, Lordy, look whose FORTY!

This is just a few hours before the magical hour of 1:15am when I officially turned the young age of 40. I am not going to succomb to feeling sorry for myself and feeling bad for spending 40 wonderful years on this planet. God has blessed me with an unbelievable 40 years and I plan on many more if the Lord is willing so here is to making the most of every day. So, BRING ON THE CAKE!!!

Okay, so this is a pretty scary picture but I'm just brimming with excitment about my birthday! I have to shout out to my sis who is 40 today also since we are identical twins! Love you, Cath! Have a great birthday and dodge the birthday cake to the face thing! (a mexican tradition)

Cousin Fun!

We are so excited to have more time with our cousins this week. Brad's sister and family is in town this week to speak at a breakfast for Back 2 Back the organization that they are with in Mexico. It is rare that we see each other in the fall! We love time with our cousins!