Warm Hugs

Here they are: available in Long Sleeves and Hoodies, This has been the BEST week in 1yr of our journey and I know its because of Prayer Warriors!! As my sweet country simple (maybe a little redneck) Rodney put it... "Were going do what they say cant be done... We got a long way to go and a short time to get there"  and this week, the LONG way to go just got a little shorter and the journey a little sweeter!!  THANK  YOU so much for loving us all the way to CHINA and BACK

Short Sleeves Adult SM - Adult XLRG - $24.00
Long Sleeves Adult SM - Adult XLRG - $27.00
Hoodies Adult SM - Adult XLRG - $35.00
XXL - XXXL add $2.00 to any shirt
*ALL Colors Available

ORDERs can be placed through our YouCaring Link ----------------------------->

 Once you have paid for your order it will give you the option to write a message - put your Shirt choice, size and color <3 This will also contribute to our 1 mile at a time and hearts will go up on MarleeJ's wall with your name.  XOXO
SHIPPING IS FREE                                                                                         

10mth Paper Baby Bump

February 24th 2014 will mark one year we have been working on "2 get US 2 YOU" with the face of one little girl, no promises, open hearts for the breaking , as we were asked to do according to Gods plan. This past week our Dossier documents have been moving to get prepared for the BIG D.T.C (Dossier to China) its like the third trimester of pregnancy although in the adoption world there is what seems to be the "timeline police" YES you can guess, we defiantly left their heads spinning - NOTHING about our process has been on ANY kind of timeline, other than the good Lord above. We have changed social workers due to ours leaving to pursue a dream of working in the mission field(LOVE our current SW), our homestudy social worker (whom we also LOVE)..we happen to be her first HS process with our agency (boy that was fun for her 25weeks worth) and right in the height of the battle.. FEDEX looses our original DOSSIER documents going to the agency, makes you wonder huh?? I have cried and cried, I've begged God to please stop what looks like CraZy madness; only to receive the calmness of his love and the nudge to continue moving forward with an open heart. 

We need your prayers more than ever this week, pray for the strength that will be needed in conversations and keeping our hearts open and totally focused on Gods desired plan.





and whoso shall receive one such little child in my NAME receiveth me. Matthew 18:5
     This is what a 10 month paper baby BUMP looks like

The You, You Are and The You Others SEE

I am and always have been an open book, maybe because I just like to talk. I found a report card from 2nd grade cleaning out what will be MarleeJ's room and at the bottom in comments it said "a pleasant child who loves to talk" I guess I was born talking and have never shut up...  I am taking it as a positive for the me I am, for the me others see, I will leave that up to you.

We are approaching the 6th month of the adoption process; truth is I am approaching 45yrs in this process, Rodney 40, Lake 18 and Mitch, all 20 of his years because every step that we have taken a has lead us to this moment.  I say that in the confidence from when we started this walk of faith we were faced with the realization of "The You Others SEE" it sounded like this: "you are not normally what we see in adoptive parents" "colorful story" those statements sent me off in the biggest paper chasing, reference letter getting, life writing, box checking, praying "not normal adoptive parent" fact finding mission I had ever been on, called "The Homestudy". We have lived every one of those years, months, weeks, days, minutes and seconds that did not look like what others were use to seeing,, and now asked to defend the "not normal, "the YOU others see"  Rodney and I both are BLESSED with "not normal families" and blessed beyond our ability to truly explain.

As we are approaching our last home visit for the Home Study and checking all the boxes for the must have completed: railing for the stairs, additional smoke detectors and a few odds and ins, I am forced to realize we will never look like "what anyone is use to seeing".  The truth, its not easy to explain 3 Divorces (with all remaining as friends & fam"ily"): china only allows 2 divorces, maybe the references written by the formers helped strike one!  History of Grief The loss of a child; a major undertaking to support your stability to parent moving forward. strike two! ADHD and medicated (this kinda' makes me giggle) the drug is listed as a  psychotropic again a must to support your only use for the drug, not giggling at the process but the fact that Mitch always knew if I had not taken my Meds... with a sweet comment of  "your not medicated today are you?"  believe it or not .. I can TALK a lot more un-medicated!! strike three!   I GUESS.. I would have made everyone's job a little easier if I would have not went backwards into the  ADOPTION PROCESS although Rodney reminds me daily... "why do you think its about you making anything any easier for anyone, Gods gotta' plan, he has had a plan and created us by the plan!"  I love him for the "him he is"

We are in love with a little girl we have never met and yet we have no fear in loving her with #CraZyBiGLoVe because God said "this is the YOU, YOU are!!

(I just found this post.. not posted, not sure why) written a couple weeks ago

loving you today, until tomorrow 

Marlee'J Bily "because I love you"

B.I.L.Y  =  Because I love you
granted the approval to share the name from a dear soul Kota Bily - I fell in love the moment I met him and he loves with a great love; a true friend to Lake through it all <3 
 
Rodney has worked so hard to prepare her the perfect space of her own - He sure makes this 120yr old house a HOME <3  I am so in love  with the hearts filling up to start her story of #CrAZyBiGLoVe  

Thank you for loving us all the way to china and back!

today I am thankful for another mother, who unknowingly stood me on my feet with hope and helped me catch my breath <3

loving you today, until tomorrow

CHINA ADOPTION TEEs

One Mile At A Time Fundraiser

KickOff  Weekend (355 miles) Friday 27th - Sunday 29th winner of the RED-WHITE & BLUE Wreath  *ALL 6* Thank you for showing your CraZyBiGLoVe and support! Rodney has worked all weekend to get the floor completed and he is almost there, once he gets the easy stuff done then I can decorate (BIG SMILE) Week 2 Sponsor give away #RagDoll stitched with love from Marlee's Mamaw Nelda and stuffed with the sweet smells from Smallen Farm "Lavender" #OneMileAtATime (winner will be announced on Sunday)       



Process Defined By ME; Diagnostic Check

Since I made the first call in February to Kristin & Stacy Tadlock to tell them "I received the call/burden that they have been praying for, for years" In the eyes of a little girl thousands of miles away, knowing in my heart EVERYTHING was about to go CRAZY; CrAZy BiG LOvE that is. I have never seen so much paper, paper chasing, studying and answering for every action you have ever executed in your entire life.  The “check the box questions & answers” is the things that drives me into circles of how can you answer “this questions, that question” with a check, yes or no short answer; although patience proves… it all works out, you have plenty of opportunity to tell your story and should enjoy the short answers when afforded. 

This process is defined by me as a diagnostic check on so many different levels.  I have read every resource link, books and blogs known to the world of adoption, maybe not every one of them.. but it feels like it.  I have extended my prayers until sometimes no sleep for the families and agencies that are CrAZy BiG LOvE givers; this is a gift that comes straight from heaven above with such conviction and sadly so many people cannot comprehend or will never know this kind of love.  Riding alongside someone and going through the process comes nowhere close to understanding the things they protect you from i.e., I remember getting the call from my cousin asking if I could write a letter of reference for him that he and Kristin were adopting from China; that started my wait; at this point they had not announced it to the family next layer of protection. They had already faced MONTHS of preparation and CrAZy BiG LOvE exhaustion.  One year later; I had the opportunity to travel three weeks to china to get their second and third daughters. I still had no idea of the depth of involvement, I was struggling filling out the papers simply for my visa and I pride myself on organization, fact finding and a problem solver … mmm Diagnostic Check.  

I can truly say that... I understand the feeling of judgment with every little answer that squeaks out of your mouth or that is written.  I understand the feeling of thinking you are a better person than you really are.  I understand the feeling of knowing nothing and feeling EVERYTHING. Most importantly, I understand the feeling of being LOVED by the highest power and fearing NOTHING! 


"Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength." Isaiah 40:30-31  {Diagnostic Check}

 Loving  you today, until tomorrow






Tadlock Girls "CrAZy BiG LOvE"