update3

We are SOOOO thankful for all the support we had this week from all of you. God really worked in a big way through all of you. We are so thankful for your generosity and encouragement to us. I didn't think about posting this on the blog yesterday so you all are getting it here a day late.







We raised $3330! WOW! Thank you all for helping us out. I know I have said that a bunch of times already, but you truly do not understand how much each one of your messages, shares and donations were such an encouragement to us and also thankful for God putting each one of you in the place of being able to journey this long road with us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

ILikeGiving

I came across a movement several months ago called ILikeGiving. I rediscovered it and I am so thankful to all of you who have been so generous towards our family! These photos are all from ILikeGiving's page on FB.

Thank you for having compassion towards the orphan. Thank you for having compassion towards our family. I pray that your joy increases from your generosity. I hope you will share about your giving, not because you are prideful or boasting, but because Giving IS Contagious! Thank you for making a life out of your giving! 

Our updated total at the end of today is $2775! We are getting close to the 25% mark, less than $1000 away. Thank you for sharing, giving and asking others to do the same.

Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Update

The day is here!!!

SO, if you haven't seen it yet....

We were chosen as the Give1Save1 family of the week! This is a blog that if everyone gave JUST $1 look at how much good we can do! We are so excited about this opportunity. Will you consider posting this to your blog? Your twitter account? Instagram?

Do you have $1 to give? You can click on the YouCaring site ------------>
and donate there. All of the $ goes to us (just in case you are wondering!)

This is the Give1Save1 Blog post if you want to see it there http://giveonesaveone.blogspot.com/2014/08/meet-bolin-family.html

Getting closer!

I know many of you have been waiting to hear what our big announcement is...We will be making it on August 18th and can't wait to share with you. I know you are going to be such a huge blessing to us that week and I hope we can bless you and your family in a small way as we travel this interesting, unpredictable journey of adoption.

I haven't had the chance to post my kids "4th of July" pictures. I started this when Noah was a baby. Figured we would always celebrate the 4th, so it was a great day to remember to do yearly pictures. I did not get to celebrate with them this year, but they did get their pictures taken! I love looking back. So fun to see how much they chance from year to year. If you want to look back at last year's post here it is: July 4th, 2013, July 4th, 2009 (scroll all the way to the bottom) July 4th, 2008, July 4th, 2007 July 4th, 2006

July 2014

A few updates

Our big announcement is coming! I can't wait to share it and see how many people can help. This is going to be so simple y'all! You don't even know...but it could be really, really huge in terms of our adoption...so I cannot wait to see.

I never did post a picture of the boys room after we finished it...so I thought I would post about it. 

Giraffes in the distance and birds in the sky

Momma and baby Elephant

Daddy watching over his cub

The big elephants in the "herd"

The big shade tree and zebras in the distance

So thankful to Krystle Williams for coming over and "helping" me paint. She definitely made the trees come to life...my trees would have been symmetrical and lollipop shaped, which I knew I didn't want. She also added the mane on the lion and the mane makes him. I am so happy with the way it turned out!

Including Uganda

When I went to Uganda, I experience everyone eating with their hands. Then on Friday, July 4th  we couldn't find the forks...so we did as the Ugandans did. We ate with our hands. And I immediately realized that this was one thing we could totally add into our family culture to honor the culture of our new family members. So, 7/28/2014 was our first Ugandan night at our house. And everyone LOVED it! I can't wait to share this tradition with friends and family...and especially those two we are waiting on!

I didn't learn to make posho yet, but figured I could handle rice :) We had black beans on hand so that is what I made

Noah ate in true Noah fashion and he is still clean at the end.

Matt enjoying his.

Yummy!

I think Foster looked like he enjoyed his the most!

How far do you live from The Bolins?

We got some really exciting news this morning and we cannot wait to share it with you all! We are going to need your help. The first thing we need you to do is post how many miles you live from us...I know, doesn't make sense now. But in the coming days I will reveal why we want to know! You can use Gainesville, FL as the address. So share this with your friends and family and lets see who lives the farthest from us!

-Ashley

The Whole-Hearted Wife by Erin Smalley

I received a copy of this book for free to read and review from the publisher. The opinions I am writing are my own. I hope you get a copy to review this book also.

This book gives great, practical advice to a wife in ways to better yourself and love your husband more completely. The way she approaches the book is that even in a marriage, the best way to affect change is to start with yourself. So much of our culture is centered around pleasing yourself and making sure you are happy. It can be hard to go against what culture says and do the opposite: think of another higher than yourself; think first of your spouse and be quick to forgive. I am always thankful for reminders that our God asks us to be counter-culture in so many ways, especially marriage.

GUESS WHAT?!?!?

What apparently takes normal people about 4-6 months to complete has FINALLY been completed for us...

We have a Home Study!!! Completed, signed, sealed, delivered, notarized, paid for, educated about, blood drawn, shots given, doctors approval, friend recommended, finished home study!

It only took us 18 months...but I guess nobody had to tell you that we're NOT normal!!!

Jumping selfies are not easy...I hope you get half as many laughs out of these as we did making them!

"Good thing Ashley has good air brakes, that could have been dangerous!"

3-2-1 Blast off!

The work of our home study is finally done...now off to the dossier!

#400

I have been a part of The Pampered Chef family a little over 6.5 years and just sent in my 400th show! Who wants to come celebrate with me? 

So thankful to all my team members, customers and hosts. Without you, I would not have a business. Leave a comment if you want me to send you an invite!

book review: A Call to Resurgence

Call to Resurgence by Mark Driscoll is a poignant call for the church to come together and quit fighting one another. This has been a long time issue and is one clear warning that Jesus gave us before he left this earth. It must have been important to him for us to love one another and not fight over our small differences. Driscoll does a fabulous job of concluding the book in the 7th chapter when he gives his call to action: Preach the Word, Love the Church, Contend and Contextualize, Be Attractional and Missional, Receive, Reject, Redeem, Consider the Common Good, and Evangelize through Suffering. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who believes in Christ and wants to love his brothers in Christ in a Christ-like way. I would also recommend anyone who feels comfortable with where their faith is at to read this book. It will ignite a new passion for the Lord in you. I received a copy of this book to review. The opinions are my own. 

Uganda

If you are interested in seeing a bit more about Uganda check this video out Uganda

Resurrection Sunday, 2014!

We were so thankful to get to celebrate with friends and family today. We did miss my gramma and aunt Barby. We were also missing two littles that we can't wait to meet, learn about and share life with. But we got to enjoy good times!

The boys Easter baskets had a couple of books and a couple items we bought from the garage sale pile. 

They each had a "candy" item and had a note on it like this.

Cousins opening checking out their baskets

We dyed brown eggs and loved the way they turned out. Yellow was a favorite color choice because they were deemed "Golden" eggs by one of the kids, so they all did them that way.

Forgot to get someone to take our picture, so the tripod did ok for us to get one of ourselves!

We are so thankful for our risen savior of the world! Thankful that he took our place. Thankful that he gives us grace...every minute of every day!