The Jackson Family

Sydney Mae is 6 years old!!

2011-12-14T16:01:00.000-08:00

Sydney Mae is 6 years old!!

2011-12-11T18:10:00.000-08:00

Our baby girl is 8!!!!

2011-09-10T05:22:00.000-07:00

Olivia is 8 years old today. She is growing up so fast. We are so proud of her sweetness, love for others and her desire to be all that God has created her to be.

We love you, Livvie girl

School is here

2011-08-27T18:45:00.000-07:00

Summer went by in a flash and the girls are back to school. Here are their "first day of school" pics....

Silas is 3 today!!

2011-08-17T06:32:00.000-07:00

Summer Fun

2011-06-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

I love summertime. I love going to the pool and loading up on all the fun snacks and treats. I love car rides with the windows down and music blaring. Every summer we have a theme song. This year Justin Bieber's "Baby, Baby" can be heard from all 3 Jackson kiddos at least 20x a day. Hearing my little guy's sweet voice belting out JB's hit song makes me laugh and smile and makes my heart full. He adds so much joy and fun to our days. He has picked up on so many of the girl's sayings with them home. He says "right?" to make sure I am listening and "stop it!" all the time now. I seriously want to eat him up, he is so darn cute.

For someone who normally runs a strict schedule and puts way too much pressure (on myself) to meet meal and bedtimes, summertime is a welcome change of pace. I love not feeling the pressure of the clock. I do need to work on at least fixing a meal. I seriously don't think I've cooked a real dinner in at least 3 weeks..yikes, need to work on that :)

But most of all I just love having my kiddos home from school. I love seeing how uniquely God has created each one of my children. Olivia continues to keep me straight and on my toes. For instance, we met some school friends at the movies today. Upon getting settled in her seat surrounded by friends she hasn't seen since school let out, she leaned down the row to remind me to make sure my phone was on vibrate b/c we are using a new sitter for Silas and she might need to reach me. At 7 (almost 8, she reminds me daily) she amazes me with her maturity and kindness. We got home from the pool the other day and before I could get all the stuff out of the car, she had changed herself and had changed her brother's diaper and clothes without being asked.

I love waking up in the morning with my sweet Sydney who still wakes up at the crack of dawn despite my attempt at a relaxed summer schedule. The other morning she was snuggling with me in bed and kissed my unopened eyes and told me she loved me over and over. She proceeded to tell me I was the best mom ever. I like to think she really believes that and wasn't just trying to pry me out of bed for some limeaid!

I love how beautifully God has made each of my children. Each unique and perfect in His image.

I can't believe it is almost July. The summer is going by way too fast. I pray I will cherish each moment with them. They are growing up way too fast....

Ethiopia - February 2011

2011-05-29T05:13:00.000-07:00

I cant believe it took me so long to post. I also cant believe that it has been three months since I returned from my second trip to Ethiopia. What a blessing it was - every step of the way.

Going into the trip, I was hopeful that I would be influential in all of my interactions with the people I met. I knew that I would be influenced, moved, etc. I was most curious as to what the Lord would do on this trip. How would the team members work together? Would we witness spiritual transformation? How was the Southern part of Ethiopia different from Addis? Would we encounter hostility from local Muslims? How well could I rough it?

Someone pass the Purell! Actually I took more than I needed (shocker). Anyone I have come into contact with knows I am a germaphobe. I was almost ashamed at my use of the stuff while I was there.

Who says being a Christian cant be fun? I think adventures like this is what makes our spiritual journey exciting and wonderful. I felt like I was witnessing the Lord work in all that we did that week.

I will spare you the details of the travel, other than to say that the direct flight from Dulles to Addis was wonderful and easy.

We arrived in Addis and were greeting by Joe and Kay Harding. They are both Ethiopian "natives" - Joe grew up there and Kay was a missionary with SIM and intitially was in Kenya before marrying Joe and heading to Ethiopia. I believe they spent 20 plus years there - raising their children and serving the Lord. It was comforting to say the least having them leading the group. They are officially based in the U.S., live in Charlotte, and members at Church at Charlotte. They make several trip each year to Ethiopia to lead church groups.

Getting to the heart of the matter, I was definitely moved on this trip and felt like I learned a lot about myself and evangelism in general. I knew the Ethiopian people would be smiling, happy, and generally wonderful to be around. What I was unsure of was how I would behave given my goal on this trip was to serve others versus the adoption journey that Sara and I were on last time we were in Addis in June/July 2009. I decided to follow the others on this trip that had been to Camp Langano multiple times. I was with a group of veterans that knew the lay of the land and how best to serve these wonderful folks.

Camp Langano is five hours by van from Addis. After a four hour drive on decent roads, dodging goats, donkeys, camels, and other vehicles, we turned off the paved road onto a dirt road. This road would lead us to Camp Langano - a soccer/sports camp established by SIM (Serving in Mission) many years ago. Within the past five years Church at Charlotte has poured financial resources and multiple trips to work on building a sustainable sports ministry to children from all over Ethiopia. The Camp also helps serve the local community through a free medical clinic and s school.

My tasks while at Camp included helping build a barn for the donkeys and building/pouring a concrete foundation for a local Muslim community (for a non-local teacher's home). The goal was to have the locals see us serving them and for them to feel the love of Christ in the process. Only the Lord knows if our efforts were successful.

A moment I will most remember was the worship service at the local Church. The people were definitely there to praise God and worship. There were no pretenses - no one looking to see what outfit someone is wearing, no one concerned about someone hearing their crappy singing voice, and no one worried about or looking at folks coming in late. The worship was pure and awesome as people came humbly before God.

Another moment was hearing the testimony of the SIM missionaries from Texas that have given up life in the U.S. to serve the Lord and the people of Ethiopia full-time at Camp Langano. With three kids in tow, the husband helps manage the Camp while the wife runs the local clinic - delivering babies and trying to take care of everything an American hospital would tackle. They have two beautiful daughters and one adopted boy from Africa (Zambia) - eerily similar to a family I am a part of!!! Watching them devote themselves fully to the Ethiopian people was inspiring and certainly made me look inward and question - am I doing ALL that I can?

Lastly, I was moved by a little girl that decided to leave the local village (along the dirt road close to Camp Langano) to move to Addis. Her mission (at probably 11 years of age) was to help care for an elderly woman in Addis (the mother of one of the SportsFriends workers at the soccer camp). The girl came with our group as we left Camp to head to the capital city to prepare for our departure back to the States. It was her first trip in a car and the first time she had left a 3-4 square mile radius of her home. It was the first time she saw a paved road. It was the first time she saw a market, or a city, or anything other than a hut, goats, and a small piece of God's creation. I was most impressed and moved by her courage to leave her family (her mother had an illness that took her life years earlier) and take the next step to find opportunity. She planned to learn Amharic (he native language is not spoken in Addis) and go to school in the big city. She was basically taking on life on her own, with no parental influence other than her new relationship she would be establishing with the woman she would be caring for. At just 11 years of age.

I am excited about what God is doing in Ethiopia. The Muslim influence is extreme, but the Lord is revealing himself to the local Imams. Conversion experiences with the Imams have been plentiful (claims by the Imams that they have literally been told by God to follow Christ) and have led to massive conversions to Christ in the Langano communities when the Imams share this with others at the mosques.

I look forward to heading back - what a wonderful country with great people!

Tom

Water for Ethiopia - A Glimmer of Hope

2011-02-09T18:15:00.000-08:00

We are raising money to build 3 wells in Ethiopia!!
Please check out our campaign http://www.ourglimmerofhope.org/campaign/water-ethiopia

Hole in our Gospel

2011-01-15T08:17:00.000-08:00

One of my New Year's resolutions is to read more. And not just the mindless fiction I normally like to nod off while reading, but "meaty" and challenging books.

So far I've read Mary Beth Chapman's "Choosing to See" and "One Million Arrows". I highly recommend both. I am currently reading "The Hole In Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns, the President of World Vision. It is challenging and a must-read in my opinion.

One of my all-time favorite musicians, Bono from the band U2 is quoted in the book. His words:

15,000 Africans are dying each day of preventable, treatable diseases – AIDS, malaria, TB – for lack of drugs that we take for granted. There is no way we could conclude that such mass death day afer day would ever be allowed to happen anywhere else. Certainly not North America or Europe, or Japan. An entire continent bursting into flames? Deep down, if we really accept that their lives – African lives are equal to ours, we would all be doing more to put the fire out.
We can be the generation that no longer accepts that an accident of latitude determines whehter a child lives or dies – but will we be that generation? We can’t say our generation didn’t know how to. We can’t say our generation couldn’t afford it. And we can’t say our generation didn’t have reason to do it. It’s up to us.
-Bono

If it was happening in our community we would take action. If one of our friend's child was dying of AIDS and needed life-saving medicine, we would do whatever we could to ensure that child received the medicine he/she needed. Wouldn't we?

So why are we able to look the other way? I think we become paralyzed by the overwhelming nature of the statistics. 26,575 children dye EVERY day from mostly preventable causes related to their poverty. That is overwhelming.

One death is a tragedy; a million is a statistic. - Josef Stalin

Don't fail to do something just because you can't do everything. - Bob Pierce

So where do we start? Stearns concludes chapter 7 of his book by saying "Why did God make me? To love, serve , and obey Him. Very simple, yet extremely profound. If we all woke up every morning asking, "How can I love, serve, and obey God today?" it might change everything - it might even change the world."

Sympathy is no substitution for action

2010-12-13T12:57:00.000-08:00

This quote was on a church sign near our home last week. It has stuck with me because isn't this how most of us live our lives? Most people feel sympathetic to those in need and might even think about doing soemthing to help. But if you are anything like me those thoughts rarely get put into action.

My goal for the coming year is to put my sympathetic thoughts into action more often.

I started this post a few days ago and then today saw the video below. Powerful.

The Joy of Christmas

2010-12-10T05:10:00.000-08:00

Every YEAR 2,102,400 more children become orphans in Africa alone

Every DAY 38,493 children AGE OUT of the orphanage...they will be turned out into the streets...with NOTHING

Staggering statistics, seems hopeless, yet we can all make a difference.

I love this time of year. The lights & decorations, Christmas music blaring through our home, all the extra cookies & goodies....lots of excitement each day as we approach Christmas day. Such a joyous time for us yet a lonely time for so many.

I pray this season we will remember the true reason for the season and share the joy and hope of our Savior's birth by helping or loving someone in need.

The Superheroes

2010-11-12T17:51:00.001-08:00

Spider man, Bat girl, and Super girl to the rescue...

And yes, sweet Silas T got a new hair do. Isn't he handsome?!

NYC Girls Trip

2010-11-12T17:03:00.000-08:00

My mom, the girls and I had an amazing trip to NYC!!! It was so much fun and the girls were so good and loved the big city. We saw Mary Poppins, went to The Plaza, did a carriage ride through Central Park, ate at Serendipity, FAO, had dinner at American Girl Doll Store, took the ferry to see Statue of Liberty...a memorable trip I will cherish forever!

Another first tooth....

2010-09-24T14:10:00.000-07:00

a few years too soon...but Silas lost his first tooth!

All Grown Up

2010-09-21T17:33:00.000-07:00

Two days before my first baby turned 7, she lost her first tooth! We had an Almost Slumber Party to celebrate her birtday with friends and it was so much fun. The girls played musical sleeping bags, had sleeping bag races and giggled and laughed for 3 hours!!
We've had a crazy, fun start to the new school year....wanted to post a few pics from Liv's birthday, first tooth, bird day & school fun. Also, a sweet pic of our boy in his Etiopian outfit.
xoxo,
Sara

First Day, Finally...

2010-08-26T04:46:00.001-07:00

Back to School

2010-08-24T17:46:00.000-07:00

Olivia started 1st grade last week and Silas even started preschool. Sydney was supposed to start today but ended up home sick. Poor thing was the last one to have her first day and my child who is never sick wound up ill the night before her big day. I'm praying I can post her "first day of school" picture tomorrow.

I had not planned to be home today cuddling with my sweet girl, making sure she had medicine & holding her while she was sick but I was so thankful I was able to do just that. To think there are so many moms who can't comfort their children when they are sick is heartbreaking. Can you imagine having a child who is sick, even deathly sick and not having access to the medicine that could save his/her life? It is hard to grasp such circumstances when we are so very blessed here in the USA. I pray that we will care for those in need just as we've been commanded to do.

1 John 3:17-18 "But if anyone has the world's goods and sees hi.s brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth"

James 2:14-17 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Luke 12:48 "From everyone who has been given much, much will be required"

Happy Birthday, Silas T!!

2010-08-16T06:42:00.000-07:00

Our little man turns two years old tomorrow on the 17th! We celebrated over the weekend with dinner at the Ethiopian restaurant in Charlotte, Meskerem.

Silas refused to even try any of the food but he sure enjoyed that ginger ale in his big boy cup! Olivia tried everything and loved it. She says that means she gets to go on our next trip to Ethiopia. And it sure did make me want to go back. So many memories came flooding back, seeing all the pictures and memorabilia from Ethiopia and the beautiful Ethiopian women who served us. I swear they are the faces of the most beautiful people in the world and have the most beautiful spirit. I truly can't wait to go back.

We love you sweet boy and are so thankful you are our son. You have added more joy to our lives than we ever dreamed possible.

Uncle Sam

2010-07-16T16:03:00.000-07:00

Oh the fun!! 2 weeks at the beach was just what we needed...SO FUN!

Here is Silas as Uncle Sam for the 4th of July parade at Fripp. Could he be any cuter?

Summertime is Here!!

2010-06-16T13:43:00.001-07:00

It's been quite awhile since I've posted so I decided to post pics from our Spring (prior post) and these pics from our start to summer for an update. We are loving summertime!!
We had an awesome trip to Florida to celebrate Doc's retirement (unfortanetly no good pics on my camera from that trip), trip to Mimi & Pop's, Liv's Kindergarten graduation, trip to Athens to visit our dear friends Em & Anabel, Liv is enjoying swim team & girls' dance recitals.
Hope you all are enjoying summertime!
xoxo,
Sara

Our Spring in Pictures

2010-06-16T13:04:00.000-07:00

Our Spring was full of fun, fun, fun!!
Our first Easter with Silas, Spring Break at Nanna & Doc's, Mother's Day with 3 amazing kiddos, lemonade stand for Amazima Ministries & best friends together again! We feel so blessed!
Psalms 107:1-2 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

INTO THE STREETS ETHIOPIA

2010-04-21T18:31:00.000-07:00

CHECK OUT THIS SITE TO WIN AN AWESOME NECKLACE FROM JUNK POSSE....

Why create Into the Streets of Ethiopia?

In February 2008, our family was lead by the Lord to adopt a child, a little girl, from Ethiopia, Africa. We stepped out in faith and obedience and in the process we were challenged to start leading our family in living a "no-regrets" life. The process of our adoption was a beautiful journey which ultimately lead to arriving in Ethiopia in July 2009, to meet and bring our new daughter home.

While in Ethiopia, we were honored to meet a man, Robel Alawi. We were fascinated and humbled beyond words when we learned of his life story and the ministry he conducted in the streets of Ethiopia. We vowed to pray for our brother and the incredible work of ministering to the unfortunate children that lived and begged among the dirty streets of Addis Ababa.

Our job was done. We obeyed God, adopted, had no regrets and thought we could simply return home to our children, and resume our normal, everyday life. Oh, how we were wrong! We found ourselves left with a hole, in the shape of Africa, in our hearts. God, in his awesome power and glory, kept placing before us the images of Robel and his ministry.

Yes, we were sent to Africa to bring home an orphan, teach her about Jesus and provide a loving environment for her to blossom. But, we were also sent to be made aware. We needed to see poverty and devastation, sickness and loneliness. To see little boys, the same age as our son, begging for their next meal. Begging to shine our shoes so they could take money home to their families. These images are forever etched in our minds and in our hearts.

Adoption is not enough for us. The longing for Africa continues in our hearts. We have seen and we have heard suffering at its greatest level. We are left with a burning question, consuming us night and day. What are you going to do? What are YOU going to do?

We find ourselves, once again, at the beginning of a faith journey. We are stepping out in blind obedience, without a single regret, to partner with Robel and Children's Future Ethiopia. Our prayer is that God will stretch us, mold us, even make us a little uncomfortable, if necessary. We have so little to offer, but we present it to the Lord and ask that He use our words and actions as a tool to touch the lonely and suffering for his glory.

Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act.
Proverbs 24:12

VOTE FOR SILAS - FOR REAL THIS TIME!!

2010-04-20T11:52:00.000-07:00

Here is the link to vote for Silas to win the Parents Magazine Cover Contest....

You can vote once a day until next Mon.

VOTE

Thanks!!

VOTE FOR SILAS

2010-04-15T07:15:00.000-07:00

Please vote for Silas to win the Parents Magazine Cover Contest! He is not only the cutest little guy I know (just a little biased, I know!) but this is a great opportunity for adoption advocacy. Thanks!!

Click on "Likes" and leave a comment to vote...
xoxo,
Sara & Silas

Easter and Spring Break FUN!

2010-04-13T18:16:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time at Nanna and Doc's for Easter and Spring Break!!

Yummy Boy

2010-02-21T18:44:00.000-08:00

Silas is finally eating big boy food all by himself!! Couldn't you just eat him up? What a yummy boy! And yes he does have a rash guard shirt on. His mommy is so ready for warm weather we had to buy a few swim outfits from Target and he so loved wearing the shirt!

2010-02-02T15:46:00.000-08:00

Something has been stirring in my heart for awhile now. I'm hesitant to write about it even now knowing that it won't come across as eloquently as I'd like. If this post comes across self-righteous in the least I apologize in advanced as that is not my intention.

As Christians we read the word and believe the word but do we actually live out the word? I've come across a stat many times during our adoption journey and it hits me hard each time. I read it again recently on a new blog I just discovered .....if 7% of Christians adopted one orphan there would be NO orphans. WOW. NO ORPHANS.

God directs us in the bible to "look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27

He also says in James 2:17: So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

So it seems most Christians are not living out their faith with respect to the over 143 MILLION orphans in the world today. Try and imagine your children living w/out adequate food, care and love. These children are no different than your children and it is our responsibility as Christians to care for them.

There are many ways to help. Of course ADOPTION would be the best way and here are some other ways as well..

PRAY for orphans in the US and throughout the world.
Sponsor a child... http://amazima.org/waystohelp
Donate to an org that helps care for orphans... http://www.hopechest.org/
Help a family who is pursuing adoption by donating $ or helping in their fundraiser...check out www.itspoppydip.blogspot.com

Since bringing Silas home we have gotten a lot of comments such as "you guys have done such a neat thing" or "he is so lucky". I have to say those comments really eerk me. Adopting an orphan is not a "neat thing" to us. Yes adoption has been a wonderful experience and is a beautiful way to grow our family but we don't see it has a "neat thing". We are the ones who have been blessed beyond what we could've imagined by our angel boy.

We still have a long way to go and have yet to even scratch the surface ourselves. There is so much that needs to be done for these sweet children. I've heard that the interest in international adoption has increased due to the Haiti disaster and I pray that is the case.

Are you living out your faith? Are you "looking after orphans in their distress"?

“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:18

SNOW DAY!!!

2010-01-30T13:43:00.000-08:00

SO FUN!!!!

A New Year

2010-01-06T09:32:00.000-08:00

Last November we hosted a benefit in Beaufort to raise funds and awareness for our adoption agency's Orphans Ticket Home campaign. At the time, I had no hesitation or angst about how it would turn out. We had never planned a fundraiser or really any event for that matter(not even our wedding as my mom was the ultimate wedding planner :) I just knew we were supposed to do it and I am so glad we did. The event raised $15K for the OTH campaign and more importantly I think the event helped to raise awareness in our small community about the orphan crisis that exists today.

Since we arrived home with our angel boy Silas, we have been talking and praying about our next step in this adoption journey. An idea will pop into my mind every now and then but now I seem to have a hesitation and uncertainty about whether or not we could actually pull it off. How can we continue to raise awareness and funds especially living in a new town where we are just establishing our roots?

Today I was talking to one of my dear friends about a cookbook idea that had popped in my mind on the way home from the gym and I finally got the feeling that maybe this idea is something we could do. Our next step may not be as successful in terms of $ raised but we can still make a difference and bring awareness. So then I hopped on my sister-in-law's blog (which is incredible by the way - check out www.kristiejackson.blogspot.com)and read her New Year's post which contained the following bible verse...
"Are you so foolish?" Paul asks, "After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" Galatians 3:3.

God has been with us throughout our entire adoption journey and it is He who will continue to help us during the next phase. We may not be able to pull off an event or fundraiser by ourselves but with God on our side I think I'm ready to start turning some of these ideas into a reality.

May 2010 be a year where we all find new ways to help the "least of these".

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T08:31:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting on the computer waiting for webkinz.com to process the girls new kitties so thought I'd post a few pics from Christmas Eve.

What a special Christmas we are having this year with our angel boy, Silas. Liv was in the nativity pageant at church last night and we all enjoyed the kid friendly service to begin our celebration of Jesus' birthday. Sydney could not get to bed soon enough as she was so worried she would see Santa coming down the chimney. The cookies and milk were left out and the kids snuggled in their beds at least until about 1 am and then Syd was snuggled in our bed. Liv woke bright and early and tried to wait patiently for the rest to awake.

We had a fun morning of opening our presents and playing. Silas was happy to just sit on his new big wheel and watch the chaos! We are so thankful this year for our precious son to be home with us and for all the blessings we have been given.

Merry Christmas and we pray for a Christ filled day and year for you all.

Fancy Sydney's 4th Birthday

2009-12-14T17:47:00.001-08:00

Today our sweet Sydney turned 4. She has blessed us with so much joy and fun over the past 4 years. Sydney is our family's constant entertainment with her hilarious stories and expressive nature. She loves to hold center stage and we love watching her!

Happy Birthday, Sydney Mae!! We love you!

Christmas Elves

2009-12-08T07:59:00.000-08:00

Christmas Elves and Silas putting his first Christmas ornament on the tree.

now that I've seen, I am responsible...

2009-12-07T18:16:00.000-08:00

"now that I have seen, I am responsible" a verse from one of my favorite songs by Brooke Fraser. (tried to add it the blog but not working so check it out on itunes!)

After a week in Ethiopia I was eager to return home. Eager for the comforts of home. I missed the girls terribly of course but I also missed my comfortable bed, my favorite foods, having power and the internet 24/7. And how easy it has been to fall back into life here in America with all of our comforts and blessings.

We have left Ethiopia behind and all that we've seen. But may we never forget. Now that we have seen, we are responsible. I pray that we will find our next chapter in living out this responsiblity. And I pray that others will have a growing heart for orphans not only Ethiopia but throughout the world.

If there were millions of orphans living in America today dying from hunger and AIDS would we all look away and do nothing. We as Christians have a responsibility. A responsilibity to use what we've been given in ways to serve Him and His people.

"...once our eyes are opened,we can't pretend we don't knowwhat to do. God,who weighs our hearts and keepsour souls, knows that we know,and holds usresponsible to act."(Proverbs 24:12)

Five Favorites About Silas (as of today!)

2009-10-20T09:54:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to write down my favorite things about Silas at 15 months. Mainly so I'll have them written down somewhere for later....

1. How he rocks out in the car. The boy has some serious rhythm. The two of us will be alone in the car listening to some tunes and I'll catch him in the mirror just jamming away.

2. His squeal of delight as he walks from one place to the next. He is so proud of himself walking and we are too! Finally mom's arms may get a little rest.

3. How he loves to hold the girls' hand in the car. Syd used to sit next to him and they would hold hands the whole time. Liv wanted a turn and enjoys the moments too. So cute!

4. His little whimper when you tell him "no". I know I shouldn't think this is cute but the boy can hang with the girls in the drama department.

5. His sweet kisses, the "mmmmm" noise and the slobbery love!

Ok, 2 more...6. How friendly he is in public. He loves to wave to everyone and gibber gabber away.

7. How he starts squeling as soon as his food is put into the baby processor. The boy loves to eat. He's gained about 9 pounds since July!

What an angel boy!

Fall Pictures

2009-10-20T08:49:00.001-07:00

Mighty to Save

2009-10-07T07:41:00.000-07:00

It has been quite some time since my last update. Moving with 3 kiddos and with one who is still adjusting has been a tremendous undertaking. But we are in our new home in Charlotte and getting settled more and more each day. The girls LOVE their new school. And we love it too. Both girls come home reciting scripture and singing songs about Jesus which is such a joy to hear. Liv told me this morning on the way to school that learning about God is the most important thing in our lives. Love it!

On the way to school "Mighty to Save" by Hillsong came on the radio. This song always brings me right back to the streets of Ethiopia. We sang this song during a prayer session with our travel group right after we had gotten our children. It always has the same affect on me. I am forced to hold back the flood gates as I see the beautiful yet hungry, poor faces of the Ethiopian people. And to think my son was once one of the forgotten ones. Alone, hungry, and with no family to love him. I can't help but think who will save the rest?

In the chorus of "Mighty to Save", Hillsong sings that God is mighty to save...

Savior
He can move the mountains
My God is Mighty to save
He is Mighty to save
Forever
Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

God is on a mission to bless and save the world and He calls His people to act out this mission. I have to admit there are moments especially with all the unpacking and what not these days that I've thought about how much easier my life would be had we not acted on God's call for us to adopt. But life is not about being easy and being comfortable. God calls us to do things we can't possibly do on our own and promises to help us. ISAIAH 41:13 For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Take the plunge, do something bold for Him!

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

I promise to post some recent photos of our angel boy soon.
xoxo,
Sara

My baby girl turns 6 today!!

2009-09-10T03:22:00.001-07:00

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Happy Birthday, Olivia Kate!!
We Love You,
Mom & Dad

The girls have taught Silas to shake it!!

2009-08-30T15:50:00.000-07:00

Where is Home?

2009-08-20T17:21:00.000-07:00

So we have been in Charlotte for four full days now. The girls are getting settled into school and seem to be adjusting great there. We are getting settled into the corp town home which is so much better than staying at the hotel. We all love each other but that was a bit too close for comfort :)

Olivia has a little bug and stayed home today. Poor little thing felt horrible and everytime her fever spiked she sobbed that she wanted to go home. And Syd keeps asking at each new location, "is this our new home?" How to explain to a 5 year old that home is where her family is and it is not necessarily a place? A hard concept for even her mom to accept as we all miss the comfort of our "home" in Beaufort.

We did find a home here and hope to close by mid to late September...yes! And I met a gal who has a daughter in Liv's K class and another daughter about Syd's age who lives in the same n-hood yesterday. Just the little boost I needed and totally felt God enabling that conversation to take place.

So on we go. Silas has been a little trooper. His sweet and fun personality keeps me entertained during the day. He is giving kisses on demand now and boy is he proud of himself!

Praying Liv is better by tomorrow...planning to hit Carowinds on Sat.
xoxo,
sara

First Day of School

2009-08-17T11:25:00.000-07:00

Today the girls started school here in Charlotte. They both did great and loved it!!

Another big happy - Silas stayed at the YMCA nursery for 1 hour today and LOVED it!! He was all smiles when I picked him up. So excited I'll be able to get a work out in especially while we are in this hotel room....picture 2 adults, 3 kids & our shaggy dog - :)) won't be spending much time indoors the next few days!

Well, enjoy the pics....s

Pop Ups

2009-08-15T14:54:00.000-07:00

So since we didn't have enough going on right now, we decided to have Silas' hair done today. Actually, Mrs Dottie's cousin did it at her house. Tom doesn't like how I do it and he uses way to much product for my liking....so here he is! Adorable, huh?!!

Whirlwind

2009-08-12T19:07:00.000-07:00

Our lives have been turned upside down in the last week. We found out exactly 1 week ago that we are moving to Charlotte, NC! Pulte is transferring Tom to be the VP of Finance of the Charlotte division. We have spent the last week up there house hunting and scoping out the schools.....quite an experience with 3 children and 1 being newly adopted...pure craziness. Thankfully my parents kept Syd for part of the week and we had a nice break at Aunt Jamie's for a night of fun with the cousins in Columbia.

We will be leaving Beaufort on Sunday as the girls start school Mon. It sounds crazy and it is! It is such a bittersweet move....so incredibly sad to leave this beautiful town, our dear friends & of course my parents whom we adore and have the best time with...but also feel very blessed for the job opportunity in such a volatile economy. So please, everyone come visit us!!

The kids are doing well. Both girls are excited about their new school. We happened upon a christian school in the area last night on-line, toured it today & signed them up! So glad this decision has been made and I feel great about the education they will receive and more importantly that they will continue to build their faith and character in a loving, christian environment. This was such a God thing as I had planned for Syd to attend a montessori school which ended up NOT being the right place!

Silas is such a trooper. I think today he finally had enough though and cried much of the day being in the car again the majority of the time. One of us had to be touching him almost constantly in the car to soothe him. It is amazing how just being touched on the leg seemed to give him reassurance that we were with him and wouldn't leave him.

So off we go on another adventure remembering that our true home is not in an earthly city but awaits us in heaven...off to rest before the packing madness begins.

Quest for a mama's boy

2009-07-29T17:56:00.000-07:00

So I'm trying super hard to get my boy to give me a "mama" on film...no luck but he sure is cute isn't he?

Amazima Ministries

2009-07-25T18:09:00.000-07:00

I just put the Amazima Ministries button on our blog - on the right side....please check it out. This ministry was started by a young woman from TN who visited Uganda and was led to help the many orphans there with the basic necessities to live and to attend school. She has a house there in Africa where she helps feed and bathe these children and to show them God's love. Her passion for this country and it's people is truly amazing and her stories are inspiring....click on the stories section of the blog and grab a box of tissues.

There are many projects that need funding....check those out too. You can sponsor a child for $300 a year - school fees, clothing, 2 meals a day & minor medical needs. ...wow, makes me feel silly for getting that pedicure this morning.

This ministry is inspiring and I love reading about people who have discovered how God can use them to be His hands & feet and to help the least of these. I long to know what He has planned for us next. I know there is more for us in Ethiopia. I don't know if God has another child for us there or not but I do know there is more for us to do. There are just so many who need help. I know i've blogged about it before and I promise not to sit on my soap box about it....but please pray for these children. If you can afford to sponsor a child, check out the Amazima button (it is a legitimate blog and person), if you've ever thought about adoption keep thinking and praying about it.

My sweet angel boy is sleeping peacefully upstairs in his crib. Every time I hug him I am reminded of how blessed we are to have been chosen to be his parents. It is not by chance that he is our son. God loves orphans and is fighting for them and giving them homes.

Oh, and I have to brag a bit...sweet angel boy has slept 12 hours for the past 2 nights - yahoo for that!!! Napping is another story but this mommy who loves her sleep is thankful for the start.

Good night,
Sara

Summer Fun

2009-07-24T03:42:00.000-07:00

The girls were begging me to take them to the pool yesterday afternoon. As you can see, mommy could not muster up the energy to take all 3 so we improvised with our very mini baby pool! It was a short dip but they had fun and then we got baths out of the way early. Nothing like having all in pjs at 4 pm!

Mr. Silas is doing really well. Poor guy is teething, has a cold & still trying to get used to our craziness here. All in all he is a very happy boy and I think he likes it here :) As trying as it can be that he rarely lets me put him down or leave his sight, I am grateful that he is bonded with me and is learning I am his mommy and will take care of him.

Thank you to all our dear friends who have helped keep the girls entertained and brought us yummy food! We are truly blessed by you all!

I've been meaning to blog about an awesome book I read on our trip. It is "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. I plan to re-read it and will blog more about content but if you are looking for a thought provoking book this is a great one. I promise you will be blessed by it.

Celebrating Silas

2009-07-19T16:01:00.001-07:00

Today we had a little birthday celebration for Silas's 1st birthday. The girls picked out a Cars theme cake and Publix also made a mini cake for him to devour. It took him a while to figure out he could eat it but after spoon feeding him some frosting a few times, he was all in!

It is hard to believe how happy we felt as a family of 4 and now today as a family of 5 it's just absolutely amazing and more fun each day. Silas has brought so much joy to our lives the past week. The girls adore him and want to make him happy 24/7. He is going to be one spoiled little boy.

Out of all the millions of orphans in Ethiopia, God chose Silas for us and us for Silas. Our little angel boy. It is impossible to understand why so many have nothing and we have so much. I know God has a plan for the people of Ethiopia and for the millions of orphans. "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" - Jeremiah 29:11

"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." James 1:27

God commands us to care for the orphans. There are so many....pray for them or better yet go adopt one or MORE! :) You will be forever blessed.

First Dip in the Pool

2009-07-18T13:13:00.000-07:00

We all went to the pool this morning for the first time with Silas and he LOVED it!! He loved splashing and went totally under a few times. Soooo excited that I just might be able to manage all 3 at the pool next week.

Sydney has come such a long way since the beginning of the summer when she had the full-on death grip around my neck. Now she "swims" all by herself thanks to her favorite hot pink water wings....halleluiah!

Silas continues to be such a joy and angel boy. He is sleeping better and is becoming more comfortable with playtime with the girls. He let Olivia hold him several times in the pool....so sweet!

Happy weekend!

sara

Pictures....

2009-07-17T05:49:00.001-07:00

thank you justin and jamie for the yummy
and fun cookies :)

Precious boy

Mimi & Pop brought the Gator gear.....Mama is going to have to get some Dawg attire fast before the Fall..

Day 3

2009-07-15T20:49:00.000-07:00

So I just posted and the time says it is ontly 8:45pm but it is really 12:15am, I promise! I want credit for being up this late - I get teased so often for going to bed super early :))

I know, amazing I am awake at this time of night! Actually I went to bed a little bit after 8pm and just woke up to soothe my crying baby for a bit and now can't go back to sleep. I've had a nasty sinus infection brewing for the past 6 days or so and finally got a zpack and steroids today...already feeling so much better. My face and head felt like they were about to explode today. I am so thankful for our usual good health - boy, is it tough being mommy feeling steroids lousy.

Silas is still doing great. He is not the best sleeper but hey he wouldn't be a Jackson child if he was, right?! He wakes up at least once during nap time and most nights he wakes up crying more than once. Usually he'll go right back after rubbing his back for a bit and letting him know we are here. Its hard to know if this is due to the fact he is teething, his tummy is processing so many new foods or a result of the transition.....probably a bit of all 3.

His first doctor's appt went great. He is right on track for a one year old boy...75th % for height and 35th% for weight. And I'm sure his weight is going to skyrocket after all the food he's been shoveling down the past several days. He loves everything especially chicken and dumplings mixed with peas (thanks deanna :)) I have the baby cooker (WS) and it is awesome - blends anything and everything perfectly and quickly. We went to the hospital today for blood work. The hospital in Beaufort is always an adventure... after waiting almost 1 1/2 hours checking in and waiting for the lab tech, poor guy screamed his head off while his blood was drawn. Glad that is done!

The girls are both doing pretty well. Liv has really stepped up to be mommy's #1 helper. I could not be prouder of her this first week back. She loves helping me help Silas and she's been huge with helping Sydney during her "needy" moments. The fighting between sisters has somehow gotten much better. She is so gentle and sweet with the baby and he is starting to respond and let her do more and more with him.

Sydney is showing signs of jealousy which we knew would happen. She wants us to hold her if we are holding Silas or if Silas is sitting in my lap she sometimes tries to push him away with her body. I hate to call a child "needy" but boy her little eccentric behaviors (holding her hands while she poohs, down the stairs & brushing her teeth.....)that used to be cute are mighty tough now with a baby clinging to me. She hates it when Silas cries and gets mad at me if I don't immediately remedy his issue which results in her crying too. Thank goodness by tomorrow my head should be clearer to deal with her better. Today was pretty trying.

All in all we are all adjusting really well. Mimi and Pop arrived today and Silas had fun playing with them both.

Will post some more pictures in the morning!
xoxo,
Sara

Day 2 Home

2009-07-14T06:56:00.000-07:00

helping mom unload dishwasher

silas and the girls

Welcome Home Silas!!

2009-07-13T06:36:00.000-07:00

We are HOME!!

2009-07-12T16:19:00.001-07:00

We finally made it home today around 4 pm. It was a long journey home but our little guy was truly perfect the whole way home. He slept just about the whole way from Houston to Savannah.

We had an amazing welcome home from our girls and my parents. The girls each made signs and had special gifts they had picked out for Silas. My stomach was in knots most of the trip home as I just could not wait to see my precious girls. I still can't believe we were apart for so long. It feels absolutely amazing to all be together as a family of 5...the Jackson 5! finally!

My parents are the best! My fridge was stocked with everything we needed, the girls' laundry was all done and put away, they had made letters, a cute toy crate for Sila's room, lots of balloons and my mom made chicken pot pie for dinner and some other treats for the coming week....yes, the best! Thanks Nanna and Doc!

The girls are doing so well with Silas. Liv, my little mommy, is wonderful with him. Sydney is a bit jealous which I had anticipated. She is also sucking her thumb...what??? I'm hoping with time she will become comfortable with being the youngest girl and being a helper too.

We are so thankful for God's blessings during the past 10 days. Honestly, I can't imagine it going any better. Silas is just the perfect child for our family. He has bonded so well with both Tom and I and he loves all the attention from the girls. He is into everything and so much fun to watch him discover his toys, the girls' toys, etc....it is like watching a kid in a super duper candy store!

One thing I failed to mention in earlier posts that we were discussing with my parents today. We were so inspired by several of the families in our travel group who adopted older children and two families we took care packages for. One family has 4 bio children and just adopted two older boys and the other had 3 bio and adopted 2 more....talk about unselfish love. We also witnessed children seeing pictures of their family for the first time while delivering care packages. Tom and I were both choked up at seeing these children just beam with happiness....seeing their parents, their home, their sibling, their first bike...wow! It is hard to imagine having to wait 7 or 8 or more years to have a true sense of hope for a family.

I'm sure as we both continue to process the trip we'll have more to reflect upon....as of now we are officially wiped out. I think we've had about 6 hours of sleep the past 2 days or so.

Enjoy the pics of our sweet kiddos...xoxo, sara & tom

Back in the USA!

2009-07-12T01:50:00.000-07:00

We are back on US soil and boy does it feel good! It is Sun 3:30am and we are in a hotel in Houston awaiting our flight home! Silas was an angel baby and slept 12 hours on our 15 hour flight from Dubai to Houston. Hallelujah! But of course now he is up and running. I think mom and dad slept maybe 2 hours total off and on during the flight. We are all so messed up on our sleep with the time changes and traveling late. We arrived in Dubai from Ethiopia on Fri and did not make it to the hotel until 3:30am and had to be back up at 5:30am for our flight. We are pooped!

I can't remember if I've mentioned before or not....but we highly recommend flying Emirates. Lots of leg room, movies/tv to watch on your own mini tv & it just feels safe to someone who despises flying. I wish they flew within the US!

I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to put into words what we saw, felt & endured on our journey to Ethiopia. If you ever have the opportunity to visit Ethiopia or any third world country for that matter, jump on it. You will not be sorry and will be blessed immensely. Our hearts are forever changed and I just pray that are lives will also be forever changed as a result.

Thanks again to our prayer warriors. We truly felt your prayers!
Love,
Sara & Tom

Thursday

2009-07-09T12:40:00.000-07:00

Silas and mommy stayed at the guest house this morning. We played and napped while Daddy Tom went to one of the orphanages. Silas is becoming more and more playful and it is wonderful for us to see his fun personality coming out. Tom enjoyed seeing the Kids Care orphanage and was able to take our donations for the children there. He was surprised and relieved to find the conditions not nearly as bad as we had thought they might be. In his opinion, it really was about the same as the TH. It is comforting to know the children are so well taken care of while they wait for their forever family. We then journeyed out with two others and took a taxi to the market again to buy a few more things. It was our first time “alone” in the city w/out the AWAA staff accompanying us. It is a wild ride anytime you venture out. Seriously the traffic here is insane. There are no traffic laws persay and there is a lot of swerving and beeping going on. The air quality is unbelievable bad – exhaust fills the air everywhere. We are on the 4th floor of the guest house and are winded by the time we reach the 2nd floor. It is amazing how much the altitude affects your body. I can’t wait to breathe some fresh, clean air!!Tonight is our last night here in Ethiopia. It has been such a wonderful and emotional week. We are so ready to be home safe and sound with the rest of our family. It is still hard to believe we are in Ethiopia and now have our son in our arms. We leave Ethiopia tomorrow around 7pm and will arrive home Sunday afternoon. We have a long trip ahead of us but can’t wait to see our sweet girls and Nanna and Doc at the airport!

Love,
Sara & Tom

Silas’ 1st Birthday!!

2009-07-09T05:42:00.000-07:00

We are having a wonderful time celebrating Silas’

1st birthday – yes – his birth certificate shows July 8th!

What a blessing he is and we are overwhelmed with the

love that we have for him! He is sleeping well, eating well,

playing a lot, and bonding better than we could have ever

expected. God is good all the time, that is for sure!

He has been faithful and we are blessed.

Today we head to the US Embassy to complete the final

steps for our return on Friday. Tomorrow we will head

to an orphanage to drop off donations and after that we

will purchase some goodies to bring home. The extreme

poverty in this country is evident at all times. There are

really no “good sections” that are immune to the conditions.

That said, the people are very welcoming, loving, and happy despite their situations. We see street kids (homeless) playing marbles (with rocks) and carrying on as if all is fine and dandy. Unfortunately, they were barefoot, had tattered clothing, no belongings, and were caught in the pouring rain with nowhere to go. They clearly were making the best of their situation. We have learned a lot…..Thank you for your prayers and look forward to introducing you to Silas. Olivia and Sydney will be very taken with him – words can’t describe what a perfect little boy he is. See you soon.

Gotcha Day!!

2009-07-07T11:12:00.000-07:00

We are back at the guest house with silas....he has really opened up and is having so much fun walking (with us!), playing patty cake & he ate a whole jar of oatmeal for dinner. Lots of giggles and squeals. Will write more soon....xoxo, sara & tom

Meeting Silas

2009-07-06T13:48:00.000-07:00

What a day! Emotional, beautiful, wonderful…truly one of the most amazing days of our lives. We started out with breakfast at our guest home and then we all gathered around a table to do the necessary paperwork for the US Embassy. After totally botching the first form, Daddy T had to take over. My nerves were in full swing. Then we headed to lunch at Lucy’s (I think that is the right name…near a museum)…tom and I shared a cheese pizza. We are playing it safe in the food area for sure. Then we headed to the transition home….
We were number 5 on the list to meet our baby…cameras were passed out to other families to capture each meetcha moment. The tears were flowing as soon as the first sweet baby was brought out. It is hard to describe the beauty and joy of watching each family meet and hold their children for the first time.
Silas came out very sleepy. Apparently we arrived during nap time, so they had to wake the babies up to meet us. We held him and loved on him but it was very clear he wanted to sleep. His little arms didn’t seem to know where to go at first but after walking and singing to him he fell asleep with his arms around me. Oh how I love snuggling with my babes. He pretty much slept the whole time we were there. I did get to feed him a bottle and then he promptly went right back to sleep. Tom held him while he slept and when it was time to give him back to his nanny he looked back at Tom and his eyes seemed to get super big....what a big day for our little guy too!

After the TH, the ladies headed to a really neat spa. I had a 1 hr massage that was awesome! Then we picked up the guys and went to a traditional Ethiopian restraunt. I only had two bites of food before my nose, ears & mouth were on fire, but the beer was good and the entertainment was great. Several of us danced with the dancers and Kyle played drums…super fun!

Tomorrow we shop in the am, then lunch, and then back to the TH to take pics/care packages and then get our babes for good!

This is my second time typing as we lost power…so please ignore typos…more later. We are tired, happy and healthy …miss you all! And for soon to travel families, it is winter here…pretty chilly at night.

enjoy the pics...
Xoxo,
Sara & tom

Start of day 2 in Ethiopia

2009-07-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

Good morning,

Today is the day! It is around 7am here and we are anxiously awaiting our paperwork party here at the guest house at 10, then lunch and then off to see our boy at the transitional home. We've been up since 4 am...reading, eating skittles & trying to pass the time. Our sleeping schedule is way off and we seem to sleep well during the day and not much at night. Hopefully this will change soon as once we have Silas with us I'm sure the day time napping will promptly end!

Dinner at the guest home last night was excellent...traditional ethiopian meal of beef, peppers and rice. I just need to get my hands on a diet coke this morning :) Tom is going to have his first taste of Ethiopian coffee here in a bit. So far so good...we are both feeling well.

We have gotten to visit with many of the 8 other AWAA families staying here at the guest house . We have a great group! It is so nice to be experiencing this trip with others who are experiencing many of the same emotions and joy.

Hopefully we will be able to post later today with pictures of our meetcha day!!! Can't believe it is here.

Liv & Syd - we love you and miss you....xoxoxo!!
mom & dad

2009-07-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

Hello! We made it to Ethiopia!! It feels sooo good to be here.

Our flight from Dubai was excellent - we were upgraded to business class which was insane....seats totally recline, chair massages you all over, you name it and we got it! Of course I was way into watching all the movies we never get to see anymore, so no sleep for me and I think about 1 hour for Tom.

We arrived to the airport and went through visa control, passport control & retrieved our all of our luggage w/ no problems. David a driver w/ AWAA picked us up at the airport. We had to ward off several men trying to help us with our bags. The begging is definitely going to be a challenge here.

Driving to the guest house we were able to witness the extreme poverty from our windows, although I know we haven't seen the worst of it yet.

The guest house is clean and very friendly staff. I am using the receptionist computer right now b/c the internet connection is not working in our room...sorry for any typos the keys are a little bit different on the keyboard. We just took another 3 our nap and plan to eat dinner here at the guest house.

We miss and love you all. It feels great to be here and one day away from seeing our boy.

Thanks for your continued prayers.

Love,
Sara & Tom

Day in Dubai

2009-07-04T07:54:00.000-07:00

So much for sleeping in today. Tom got up at 5am and attempted to go to starbucks (which was closed) but enjoyed a peaceful morning in the hotel lobby drinking coffee and reading the paper. I of course could not go back to sleep so we ate an early breakfast in our hotel and then headed to the beach. We have not left the Beaufort heat behind. It is crazy hot here. The beach here is nice there are chairs lining the beach, tiki bar and a foggy sea view. After trying to cool off in the Arabian sea (which felt very similar to a hot tub) we had a frozen concoction and a dip in the pool. We went to chilis for lunch which was just a short walk from the hotel. We then proceded to take a 4 1/2 hour nap! Now we are at Starbucks and off to find another American chain for dinner.

Thoughts on Dubai: not sure what all the fuss is about - nice but really just a lot of shopping and hotels on the beach. not much character that we've seen. although we did stay cooped up in teh hotel for most of the afternoon. we've never done the tourist sightseeing thing very well.

Highly recommend for future travelers: come a few days early to rest and sleep. We've enjoyed not being on any kind of schedule. We feel like we should sleep when our bodies will let us.

We meet our driver at 5:30 in the am for our flight to Addis. We should arrive in Addis around 11:30.

Happy 4th of July!!
Sara & Tom

Dubai

2009-07-03T11:39:00.001-07:00

Well we made it to Dubai!! It was a loooong journey but we are so happy to be on the ground and in our room at the Sheraton. The flight from Houston to Dubai on Emirates was long but truly not so bad. We each had our own little TV and lots of movies, tv shows, and music to choose from. I ended up wathching for 4 movies in all!!

I think God was giving us a taste for what is to come on our return flights b/c there were 3 young children on our single row. The little boy next to me cried off and on for the first 4 hours or so of hte trip...not much sleeping going on but am thankful the movies kept me occupied. I highly recommend flying Emirates for those of you who are about to travel. It is very spacious and can't beat all of the entertainment.

We got to our hotel around 9pmish and ate at the Grill House here...food ok...we are so exhausted and looking forward to a shower and sleeping in. We plan to just veg tomorrow at he pool and maybe check out the spa here.

It is a new experience for us being in the minority both on the flight and now here in Dubai. A great lesson I think for us as we are soon to have Silas T in our arms.

We miss you all. Olivia and Sydney we love you so much and of course talked about you non-stop over dinner. We love you!!
Sara & Tom

Take Off

2009-07-02T06:33:00.000-07:00

Well, the time has finally arrived. We leave the Savannah airport today at 2pm and then on to Houston and then Dubai!! We will be in Dubai for 2 nights/1 day and then on to Ethiopia on Sun am.

We will meet Silas on Mon and then take him with us forever on Tues!!!

We are super excited and truly blessed to feel so covered in prayer. I honestly thought I would be very anxious and nervous about being away from home and my girls for such a long time. This morning I woke up with a sense of peace and calm knowing we are in God's hands and have wonderful prayer warriors!

We will do our best to update as often as possible. Thank you for your continued prayers!

Love,
Sara & Tom

Daddy and his girls

2009-06-23T04:14:00.001-07:00

soon daddy soon you won't be so out numbered....

Concrete Travel Dates

2009-06-17T14:14:00.000-07:00

We will be traveling over the 4th of July!! There was a chance we would go the week before but our paperwork did not make it in time (whatever that means:)). So exciting to have concrete dates!!! We are going to stop through Dubai for a few nights on the way to get adjusted to the time change and get a bit of rest before heading to Ethiopia. Apparently there is a nightclub next to the guest house where we'll be staying and the music blares all through the night. Earplugs to be packed!

Thank you to everyone who has helped pray Silas home. We are so close to having our boy home!

Sara

SILAS THOMAS JACKSON

2009-06-16T07:44:00.001-07:00

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

ADOPTED FOR LIFE

2009-06-13T05:42:00.000-07:00

"Think of the plight of the orphan somewhere right now out there in the world.
It's not just that she's lonely. It's that she has NO inheritance, no future. With every passing year she's less "cute," less adoptable. In just a few years, on her eighteenth birthday, she'll be expelled from the orphanage or from "the system." What will happen to her then? Maybe she'll join the military or find some job training. Maybe she'll stare at a tile on the ceiling above her as her body is violated by a man who's willing to pay her enough to eat for a day, alone in a back alley or in front of a camera crew of strangers. Maybe she'll place a revolver in her mouth or tie a rope around her neck, knowing NO ONE will have to deal with her except, once again the bureaucratic "authorities" who can clean up the mess she leaves behind. Can you feel the force of such desperation?Jesus can.She's his little sister.What if a mighty battalion of Christian parents would open their hearts and their homes to unwanted infants- infants some so-called "clinics" would like to see carried out with the medical waste? It might mean that next Christmas there'll be one more stocking at the chimney at your house..a new son or daughter who escaped the abortionist's knife or the orphanage's grip to find at your knee the grace of a carpenter's Son."

Quote from a BRAND NEW adoption book titled... Adopted For Life- Russell D. Moore

I am so excited to read this book as we travel to get our Silas. To witness this desperation first hand is a privilege and our hearts will never be the same. Please take the time today to pray & seek what you can do to help an orphan!!

3 more days till court....!!!!

New Court Date

2009-06-08T14:30:00.000-07:00

We have a new court date of June 16th. One week away. If we pass court we will travel July 2nd. I have to admit my patience is starting to falter. Why can't we go get our son? It just doesn't make sense to me right now.

We did get some adorable pictures of our boy. He is growing, looks healthy and is such a cutey pie. He is standing up and trying to walk!! I just can't believe it! He's even had the chicken pox. It's so hard not being the one to hold and comfort him during this time but at the same time I am so thankful for his sweet nanny. We've been told from another family whose son had the same nanny that she is precious and gets really attached to the children she cares for and it is truly hard for her when they leave. How do you thank someone for caring for your child for months?? I'm struggling with this. We are planning to take a special gift for her but I can't decide what to bring her. Any ideas?

This morning Olivia decided it was time to get ready for our baby boy. Tom calls this "nesting" and it cracked me up that our 5 year old was feeling the need today. She diligently washed all of his bottles and we got his pjs and bibs ready to wash. Seeing her excitement and joy reminded me to stay focused on the end prize. Though we've encountered a few bumps along the way, we know God is faithful and we will soon be rejoicing with our sweet boy in our arms.

Until then, we thank you for your continued prayers.

"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3

NO NEWS

2009-06-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

Just an update to say we are still waiting to hear news. We will post again as soon as we hear. PLEASE read the next post.....

FEED THE FORGOTTEN

2009-06-01T17:31:00.000-07:00

Too often we hear heartbreaking stories and do nothing. We feel helpless. . . and so we move on. Not this time. There are people DYING in Uganda right now. There are children who's bellies are hungry and aching. There are mamas who are too weak to stand and babies begging to be held. There are people trapping termites hoping for food and eating dung in helplessness. DO NOT CAVE TO DESPAIR. YOU CAN DO SOMETHING.
Join us and Children's HopeChest to FEED THE FORGOTTEN!!! (CLICK HERE TO GIVE NOW) (note: please write FEED THE FORGOTTEN in the notes section)

For $0.14, we can (and WILL) feed someone a meal of posho and beans. (posho is cornmeal, which is filling and beans are protein). Take that in for a moment. . .
$0.14 a meal
$2.86 for 20 days
$1 per FAMILY
$20 feed a family for 20 days.
How much was my Chick Fil A yesterday? How much is your Starbucks? The bigger question is how much am I willing to give up SO THAT OTHERS MIGHT EAT?
Remember Jesus story of the Good Samaritan? Remember how his very neighbors walked right by him? They probably looked at him with pity. . .probably thought "oh poor guy, that breaks my heart" but the fact is THEY DID NOTHING.
What will you do? These children are starving. . .

these actual children. . . click on picture to right to see photos....

will you help? The money raised will feed those precious children. There are 3 - 4 villages that we are targeting (I'm hoping for more after we see how much we can raise!) to bring food relief to asap. These people are literally starving. . and waiting for you to act. Will you help? Even with paypal fees (2-3%) even $1 will feed 6 people! You CAN make a difference.
Spread the word, blog about it, facebook it, twitter it, ask your church or school or business to give, post the blog badge anything. Truly, we are begging you. . .on behalf of these children not to forget this post and move on to the next in your google reader list. Stop, pray, act.GIVE TO FEED THE FORGOTTEN CHILDREN!!!!!
(note: please write FEED THE FORGOTTEN in the notes section when you give)

Court Update

2009-05-26T16:35:00.000-07:00

We did not pass court today (really last night) in Ethiopia. Thankfully the judge kept our case opened and hopefully she will hear it again with the hard copy of our POA this week. We should hear something by the end of the week. The Director of the Ethiopia program at AWAA said although this sounds somewhat promising we should be prepared to have our current case closed and to have a new court date reissued mid-June.

God is good and we take comfort in that.

Psalms 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

What a rollercoaster!

2009-05-20T17:21:00.000-07:00

So the past week has been quite a roller coaster ride! MOWA (ministry of women's affairs) in ET halted all adoptions of abandoned children in the city of Addis pending an investigation. We were devasted to hear that we we were affected by this hold and were told to expect at least a several weeks delay. We began praying hard that this hold would be short and that God's hand would be in the investigations.

Then, last Thurs I recieved another call that there is still hope that we could pass court on May 26th. Apparently, our boy was abandoned just outside of Addis and other agencies have had success in passing court in similar situations. Praise God and still praying hard!!!

Then today, we received another call lettingus know that the power of attorney we sent in our dossier last year is no longer valid and we needed to have another one notarized and state certified and in their office by Fri at 9 am in order to have a chance of passing court. Wow, really?! So I will be driving to Columbia in the morning to get this document state certified and then Fed Exed to America World. We want Silas home!!!

Please pray for these children and families affected by this abandonment hold. It truly is agonizing not to be able to hold our children and not knowing how long we may have to wait.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose
Romans 8:28

2009-05-06T09:47:00.000-07:00

*Tom Davis* is helping our adoption agency's Ethiopian transitional home by helping bring the best formula to the precious babies waiting to be with their forever family!! You can donate on his web site. This is an amazing blessing as many of the infants from the orphanages are severely malnourished and some are even on feeding tubes.

Lots of Smiles

2009-05-05T12:04:00.001-07:00

That's what we got in our April update on our boy. The sweetest pictures of Silas standing up in his crib, crawling and SMILING!!! What a joy to see him so happy and doing well. He has gained 1 lb since our referral and has 1 tooth. We are in love and can't get to Ethiopia soon enough to hold him in our arms.

Our court date is set for May 26th. We are still waiting to hear tentative travel dates but still expect to travel end of June or early July. Please be praying we pass court on the 26th. 70% pass and those 30% who don't have to wait another month or so for a new court date.

I wanted to post about a wonderful opportunity with the Red Letter Campaign. Have you heard about The RLC? This org was establised by a group of friends with a vision to help the most vulnerable in this world. They are doing amazing work and it truly is inspiring. If you've ever wanted to help a child but unsure of how to or which org to trust....this is it. They have found orphanages in Ethiopia and a few other countries to provide support and care....the commitment is around $35/month...you will receive photo updates and will have the opportunity to travel with a group to meet your child. How fun to do this w/ a group of friends?! Let me know if you are interested. There is an orphanage in ET that they will be pairing up soon.

Also, visit the RLC site to learn about Tom Davis and his latest book, "SCARED". I haven't read it yet but sure you won't be disappointed. His other books are must reads too.

http://redletterscampaign.com

Sara

Care Package

2009-04-06T18:11:00.000-07:00

Today I mailed a care package for Silas. Sophie the giraffe (squeaky teething toy), a little lovey blanket and a photo album of our family are on it's way!! Another AWAA family who is traveling to unite with their child this week is graciously taking it to Ethiopia for us. What a blessing this is! Also, several other families traveling in the upcoming weeks have agreed to take pictures of our little guy for us!! Can't wait to see those :) A huge thank you to all of you!

We continue to wait to be assigned a court date and I'm in serious nesting mode!!

Love,

Sara

Silas Jackson!!!

2009-03-28T07:13:00.000-07:00

We received our referral call/email yeterday and finally saw our precious son's face!! We are overjoyed and in love! He is a healthy 8 month old who is playful and crawling.

He has big beautiful brown eyes and the shape of his face reminds me of Liv's as a baby. God is Great!

Thanks for your continued prayers.

Sara & Tom

I need Africa more than Africa needs me.

2009-03-01T17:06:00.000-08:00

We are getting so close!! So close to finally seeing our baby boy's face, knowing his name, his story and completing our journey to bringing our son home. Based on current wait times, we should receive a referral this month!!! This means we will receive a picture, medical info, etc of the child who has been matched w/ our family. Once we accept the referral, we will be given a court date and should expect to travel roughly 2 months later depending on court delays, etc.

Lately it feels like we've been waiting forever. I've honestly tried to put the faces of the beautiful orphaned children out of mind after spending so much time agonizing about their situation. I came across the video below and was once again inspired and heart happy to be reminded of the amazing journey that awaits us. What joy I felt after watching this video and knowing these people have so little possessions but so much faith and love.

Check out the video and you can purchase cool Tshirts to support Africa in many great ways...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAB-zJPsJjs

Sara

Article

2008-11-16T06:12:00.000-08:00

The Beaufort Gazette published an article about adoption in today's paper....click on the links to read.

http://www.beaufortgazette.com/lifestyles/lifetimes/story/616742.html
http://www.beaufortgazette.com/lifestyles/lifetimes/story/616744.html

Video from Orphan's Ticket Home Event

2008-11-15T17:03:00.000-08:00

This is my first attempt at making a video....the quote should be on the last slide but for some reason it is not....enjoy:)

LIVING A FAITH THAT BLEEDS

2008-11-14T16:30:00.000-08:00

I'm in the process of reading REd Letters by Tom Davis. It is a powerful book that leaves me a bit overwhelmed yet energized to keep my focus on the millions of orphans worldwide, specifically in Africa. In the book, Tom discusses living a faith that bleeds...he asks "what if all Christians lived the REd letter words in the bible - Jesus' words." "Learning to live a faith that is so real, it bleeds Jesus."

If every Christian did this, what a different world we would live in. Millions of orphans would have a chance in this world, a chance to having a family and a loving home. I know i've been sitting in my chair far to long, focused on myself and the needs of my family alone. I pray the rest of my life will be focused more on how my family can help others - especially those who currently don't have a voice or hope for a future. Jesus said "when you give to the least of these, you give to me".

If you are looking for a book to spur you on in life - to live the life Christ calls us to live then please read this book.

S

2008-11-13T06:33:00.000-08:00

Click here to learn more about an Orphan's Ticket Home.

An Orphan's Ticket Home

2008-11-12T17:16:00.000-08:00

The event last Saturday was a huge success. The evening raised $14K!!! We are overwhelmed by the generosity of the Beaufort community to support this cause. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped out with the evening. I will post pictures soon.

The Beaufort Gazette is going to run an article about the event in the Sunday paper...make sure to check it out!

A Message of Hope

2008-11-12T17:14:00.000-08:00

A Special Message from FamilyLife, Focus on the Family & Shaohannah's Hope
A special message from FamilyLife, Focus on the Family, and Shaohannah's HopeThe Orphan Crisis130 million orphans...It's a huge number. If you allow yourself to grapple with it, you may become saddened, angry, or numb. You may find yourself wanting to do something but unsure of how you can address a problem so overwhelming. There's good news. Orphans have been on God's heart since the beginning. Our Heavenly Father has not only demonstrated His love for the fatherless, but He has also made it clear that His people are to share in His concern as well. For the third straight year, FamilyLife, Focus on the Family, Shaohannah's Hope, and others are joining voices to share the good news that God has a plan for the more than 130 million orphans living in our world... and His plan is you. What You Can DoTake a few minutes today and pray for these little ones that God loves so dearly. Pray also that you will be open to God's leading. Now visit CryOfTheOrphan.org and click on Get Involved to receive a personalized list of resources and ways to help based on your interests. Become a part of God's plan for the orphan today. Be sure to tune in to a week of very special radio broadcasts on Focus on the Family and FamilyLife the week of November 17-21. Join the millions of believers whose lives have been transformed by caring for the least of these...

COUNT DOWN

2008-10-15T10:40:00.000-07:00

We are in count down mode for the Orphan's Ticket Home event. We are less than 3 weeks away!! If you are planning to attend, wish we hope you are :), please let us know by sending us an email to thejacksons@awaa.org. You can pay at the door but we really need everyone to RSVP so we can plan accordingly with food & drinks.

A HUGE thank you to our host committee members who have helped out tremendously with getting silent auction items, creating the invitation list, and in many other countless ways. You guys are the best!

We've also decided to do a raffle for smaller items donated. If you know of any businesses that might like to donate a small gift certificate or item, please let us know!

We are really excited about what we as a community can do to help raise money for thousands of children who may otherwise never have a family. There are so many great causes out there and we appreciate your support for what has become a very personal and passionate cause for us.

If you have any questions or want to reserve tickets via phone, please call Sara at 812-9696.

With Love,

Sara & Tom

BUY TICKETS NOW!!

2008-08-27T17:25:00.001-07:00

You can now buy tickets for the Orphans Ticket Home event in Beaufort at http://www.awaa.org/events/orphanstickethome.aspx. We will be sending out invitations soon but here are a few more details: Hargray and McNair Law Firm are corporate sponors and we have some great silent auction items lined up including, a joggling board by Just for Fun Playsets, spa packages, off-shore fishing charter, custom outdoor playhouse, custom ink wash of your home, gym membership and personal training sessions and many more fun items. It will be a great place to do some Christmas shopping! We hope you all can come and bring friends. Your presence WILL save lives!

Orphans Ticket Home Event

2008-07-08T10:29:00.000-07:00

Tom and I are organizing a fundraiser in partnership with our adoption agency, AWAA, to benefit An Orphans Ticket Home campaign. This campaign was started as a result of the recent decline in international adoption world wide due to the ever changing environment of international adoption and the U.S. recession. This and the fact that there are already over 143 million orphans in the world. The campaign's goal is to raise $1,000,000 and the funds will impact the lives of 5,229 children.

There are four initiatives of this campaign:

1. Working to give children the identity and paperwork needed to place them into the adoption system.
2. Creating an exchange program that will give older children the opportunity to come and spend time with a family in the states and thus increasing their chances of finding a home.
3. Opening transitional homes in Ethiopia that will give us the opportunity to better care for the orphans being adopted into American families.
4. Developing new adoption programs in Vietnam, India, Brazil and Bolivia.

To learn more about this campaign please visit www.awaa.org/orphanstickethome.

Our event will take place on Sat, Nov 8th at the Beaufort Yacht & Sailing Club at 7pm. The evening will include yummy food, drinks & live music by Eric Daubert. A silent auction will also be held. (There will be a TV for those die-hard football fans too!)

PLEASE mark your calendars!! We hope you will join us for a fun evening and help to make a difference in the lives of these children. Also, please spread the word to your friends, family, co-workers, etc.! We will be sending out invites in a few months and info on purchasing tickets.

Lastly, we are looking for donations for the silent auction as well as corporate sponsors. If you know of anyone who might be interested in supporting this cause please let me know. America World is a not-profit agency and all contributions are tax deductible. We would greatly appreciate any leads!

Our dossier is on it's way!

2008-06-15T16:59:00.000-07:00

Our dossier has been Fed Exed to Ethiopia!!! So our DTE ("date to Ethiopia") date is officially 6/13/2008. Our agency has just updated expected time frames for receiving referrals from this date to 7 to 9 months for both boys and girls. The travel time after referral has been increased to 2 to 3 months. So we are probably looking at another year till we'll travel. Whatever the timing may be, we are thrilled to have this part of the process complete and know it is in God's hands.

We're Approved

2008-02-16T13:42:00.000-08:00

We received approval from AWAA, American World Adoption Agency, our adoption agency. Now the paperchase and home study begin...

We are very excited about using AWAA. They are a Christian agency and their mission is as follows: AWAA is committed to helping America's families and the world's orphans experience the love of God in Jesus through the "Spirit of adoption." We are a Christ centered organization that values the right of every child to have a family and believes adoption is a God ordained way to build a family. America World is also devoted to actively supporting orphan awareness ministries and hopes to spread the Spirit of ad

I dare to believe that the luckless will get lucky someday in you.You won't let them down: orphans won't be orphans forever. Psalm 10:14 .

So true

2008-02-15T10:06:00.000-08:00

Adoption is not about finding children for families, it's about finding families for children ~Joyce Maguire Pavao

Q&A

2008-02-12T17:13:00.000-08:00

We've had lots of questions regarding our decision to adopt so we decided to post a little Q&A to help answer some of them.

WHY ADOPT?

We have always wanted a big family and felt a strong desire to adopt even before we married and had Liv and Syd. And now after being blessed with two amazing girls, we feel it is God's desire for us to take this leap of faith and adopt the next addition to our family.

"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." James 1:27

"Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." Isaiah 1:17

"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name, welcomes Me." Matthew 18:5

WHY ETHIOPIA?

The number of orphans in Ethiopia is astounding. Plain and simple. Children (0-17 years) orphaned due to all causes, in 2005, is estimated at 4,800,000. Many other sites bring this current number closer to 6 million, which makes sense because this is only a 2005 estimate.

To break that down you would have to take all the kids under 18 in New York, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia - remove their parents and then you would have the number of children who are orphans in Ethiopia.

Tom and I both feel strongly that God has chosen Africa as the birthplace of our son. When we read the staggering stats about orphans there and look at pictures of these sweet, adorable children we feel a connection.

ON BECOMING A TRANSRACIAL FAMILY...

We believe all children are children of God and deserve to have a loving family no matter the color of their skin. The Lord views us equally, and as such we should view one another with love and affection in the same manner that He loves us. We are no different than the people of Africa other than we have been blessed tremendously by being born in the United States, we have unlimited access to food and healthcare, as well as numerous blessings we overlook in our daily lives. Our family will be enriched tremendously by the joy that this child will bring us. We look forward to the opportunity to further show all of our children that Christ's love for us is transcendent. While we understand that we will have many obstacles ahead, we believe that the Lord has equipped us to handle them.

"Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:39

HOW LONG IS THE PROCESS?

Our agency typically has a wait time of 5-7 months for infant boy referrals once the dossier is in Ethiopia. We are hoping to have our dossier complete by end of May and then officially be on the waiting list. Once we receive a referral it will be another 6 weeks or so till we travel to meet him.

HOW OLD WILL YOUR SON BE WHEN HE ARRIVES HOME?

We have requested an infant boy up to 10 months old.

WHAT ABOUT HEALTH ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH AFRICA?

The Children are tested for AIDS at the clinic recommend by the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia as they enter the orphange. They are tested again just before leaving Ethiopia. All children are tested for Hepatitis B, venereal disease, and screened for TB. He will be given routine medical exams and immunizations. We will also have our child checked out here in Beaufort as soon as we get back and he will be given all the necessary immunizations again.

We have been blessed with two healthy children. We pray our third will be equally as healthy but realize only the Lord knows our destiny. All we can do is pray and put our faith and trust in Him.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13